Photo: Bernama
KLANG: Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has expressed disappointment over the cleanliness standards in the Royal City of Klang.
While His Royal Highness takes pride in the city's rapid development and historical value, the Ruler pointed out many areas remain dirty and poorly organised, with rivers filled with litter.
Sultan Sharafuddin shared that he has received numerous complaints from both local and foreign tourists, including those arriving by cruise ships through Port Klang.
These visitors have expressed their displeasure over the sight of Port Klang and the Royal City of Klang, which were filled with rubbish, describing it as disgusting.
"It's meaningless for us to be proud of our rapid development if we cannot even tackle fundamental issues like hygiene," His Royal Highness said when officiating at the launch of Masjid Jamek Cina Muslim Klang on Thursday (Dec 5).
Sultan Sharafuddin pointed out that the rivers, filled with rubbish, and poorly maintained drains have resulted in frequent flooding in the city.
He stated that he had repeatedly reprimanded and advised local authorities and the state government to take effective action and plan carefully to resolve the flooding issue in the Royal City of Klang and several other districts in Selangor, yet floods continue to occur every year.
"We should not use climate change or excessive rainfall, attributed to an 'act of God', as an excuse for the floods. I'm tired of raising this issue with the government and local authorities every year, only for it to be ignored.
"Why can't we solve this problem?" the Sultan asked.
However, Sultan Sharafuddin stressed that no challenge is too great to overcome, as long as the concerned parties are committed to fulfilling their duties and responsibilities.
"Millions of ringgit have been allocated to address the flood problem in both the short and long term, yet there appears to be no significant result.
"I would like to emphasise that if a contractor fails to effectively carry out their responsibility in resolving this flood issue, my government should appoint a more competent contractor who is truly capable of addressing the problem," said His Royal Highness.
Sultan Sharafuddin also urged all parties to learn from past mistakes, especially the devastating flood disaster in December 2021, which nearly paralysed several districts in Selangor, and to take necessary steps for improvement for the benefit of the people.
He ordered the Klang Royal City Council and the state government to take immediate action to tackle the flood problem in Selangor, urging them to make full use of the financial resources allocated for this purpose.
The Sultan also called for a comprehensive plan to be developed urgently and a task force formed to tackle the flood issue, alongside immediate steps to enhance cleanliness in the Royal City of Klang.
"I expect results soon. After this, I do not want to hear any excuses if the problem remains unresolved," said His Royal Highness. – Bernama
