19/12/2025

FRIDAY | DEC 19, 2025

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Flood risk still inaccurately treated as ‘technical issue’

KUALA LUMPUR: Two Magistrate’s Courts postponed the mention of two drug cases involving rapper Wee Meng Chee, who is also known as Namewee, after he was unable to attend proceedings yesterday due to an Influenza A infection. During proceedings at the two courts, defence counsel Joshua Tay informed Magistrate Atiqah Mohamed @ Mohamad Saim and Magistrate S. Arunjothy that his client, 42, was unwell and could not be present. “Our side has submitted a medical leave certificate as well as a medical report from a hospital confirming that our client has been infected with Influenza A and has been given three days of medical leave starting yesterday,” Tay told the courts. The courts fixed new mention dates for the cases on Dec 22 and Jan 19, 2026. DPPs Vivi’ Asnitha Zaina’ Larifin and Izzat Amir Idham appeared for the prosecution, Bernama reported. Wee was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, as well as supervision for a period of between two and three years, upon conviction. Namewee’s drug cases postponed due to illness ‘Avoid speculation in Durian Tunggal case’ KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has urged the public, including commentators and social media users, to refrain from speculating on the shooting incident in Durian Tunggal, Malacca, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals. In a statement issued yesterday, the AGC warned that assumptions or the spread of unverified information could undermine the investigation and erode public confidence in the justice system. “The investigation into this case is still being conducted by a special team at Bukit Aman. Therefore, the integrity of the investigation must be preserved. “At the same time, anyone with information, recordings, photographs or evidence related to this incident is encouraged to come forward and cooperate with the authorities to ensure a thorough, objective and factual investigation,” the statement said. The AGC also said any prosecution decisions would be made strictly based on the law and admissible evidence, without influence from external pressure or public sentiment. “All parties are reminded to respect the judicial process in the interest of justice and all those involved. This department and the police will work closely to examine the case thoroughly and any further developments will be communicated in due course,” it added. On Dec 16, the AGC ordered that the investigation into the incident be reclassified under Section 302 of the Penal Code after receiving a briefing from police. – Bernama

o Experts warn reliance on engineering solutions allows construction to continue at

riverine areas Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) experts have warned that flood risk at riverine areas continues to be treated as a technical issue rather than a constraint on development. UTM housing policy expert Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Najib Razali said property development in flood-prone areas persists largely because flood risk is viewed as a problem that can be managed through engineering solutions, rather than a factor that should limit development altogether. “Property development continues in flood-prone areas as flood risk is treated as a manageable technical issue rather than a binding constraint on land development,” he told theSun , adding that river-adjacent and low-lying land remains relatively affordable, making it attractive for mass-market and affordable housing. Muhammad Najib said planning approvals often allow developments at such locations on the condition that mitigation measures are put in place. “Approvals frequently permit development on the basis that engineering measures such as raised platform levels, drainage upgrades or reliance on existing flood defences are implemented. An engineering-led flood management approach, combined with fragmented governance arrangements, contributes to continued development in hazard-prone areas. “Flood risk is addressed primarily through structural mitigation rather than spatial avoidance, and there is no clear or enforceable flood-risk threshold at which development must be prohibited. As a result, property development in flood-prone areas remains administratively permissible and economically rational within Malaysia’s current planning and housing framework,” he said. Citing a 2018 UTM study of the Langat River Basin, he said the findings showed that riverine settlements persist not because flood risks are unknown, but because housing markets and policy frameworks continue to accommodate those risks.

Mohd Fadhil said flooding is not determined by local rain by itself, but by rainfall across the entire catchment, including upstream areas. – BERNAMPIC

“The evidence underscores that flood hazards have yet to be fully internalised within property valuation and housing decision-making. Without stronger integration of flood-risk thresholds into housing policy, land-use planning and valuation standards, supported by a dedicated relocation and resettlement framework, engineering mitigation alone is likely to be stretched beyond its effective limits, particularly for lower-income communities living along rivers.” Meanwhile, UTM environmental and climate systems researcher Prof Dr Mohd Fadhil Md Din said recent flooding in Kelantan and Pahang reflected a more complex risk pattern driven by basin-wide conditions rather than local rainfall alone. “River flooding is not determined by local rain by itself, but by rainfall across the entire catchment, including upstream areas,” he explained. When rainfall occurs intermittently across different sub-catchments, Mohd Fadhil said flow waves from upstream arrive in stages based on river travel time, causing water levels to rise progressively rather than in a single surge. “In conditions where the soil is already

saturated after several days of rain, almost all additional rainfall immediately becomes surface runoff. This accelerates the rise in river levels and prolongs the recession period, which is why flooding now tends to last longer,” he said. Mohd Fadhil added that this explains why established flood hotspots experience more frequent and prolonged flooding, while areas previously unaffected may begin to see flood impacts when river capacity, drainage systems and floodplains can no longer absorb changes in flow volume. “Structural mitigation alone is not sufficient when the underlying risk stems from settlement location and river catchment dynamics. River reserve areas and gazetted buffer zones must be respected. “Settlements that are repeatedly affected should be evaluated for phased relocation, because relying solely on structural measures is inadequate when the fundamental risk is tied to where communities are located. “Ultimately, flood risk reduction must prioritise proper management of river zones, location-based exposure and continuous monitoring of upstream and downstream water levels,” he added.

More than 12,000 displaced as floods hit four states PETALING JAYA: Flooding across four states has forced more than 12,000 people from their homes, with Pahang bearing the brunt as evacuation centres filled rapidly amid rising water levels. recorded high occupancy levels, including Balairaya Kampung Itram, which housed 144 evacuees from 54 families. 184 families were accommodated at 15 centres, with Kemaman emerging as the main pressure point. Dewan Sivik Felda Seberang Tayor recorded 161 evacuees from 50 families, while Surau Kampung Ban Ho in Air Putih housed 34. families and those flood-hit areas. He cautioned that misleading information could create misunderstanding and tension, outside

distribution, but added that such issues were unavoidable given the weather conditions and the scale of movement involved. “I do not deny there were some delays, but food did reach those affected. “If there were delays, they were brief, perhaps an hour or so and not as claimed on social media.” He said state agencies had made early preparations through the Pahang Disaster Management Committee and noted that conditions at the relief centres he visited were orderly, with residents understanding that temporary evacuation facilities could not replicate conditions at home. – by Faiz Ruzman

Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Belukar sheltered 69 evacuees, while Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Sengkolo housed 66. In Pekan, Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah recorded 192 evacuees from 65 families. Meanwhile, Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanjung Gemuk in Pulau Tioman, Rompin sheltered 73 people. Smaller numbers were reported at centres in Jerantut, including Sekolah Kebangsaan Teh, which housed 13 evacuees. In Terengganu, 593 evacuees from

particularly among relatives who might believe conditions at relief centres were worse than they actually were. “In situations like this, people should offer support, cooperation and encouragement, not spread information that does not benefit anyone,” he said after visiting flood evacuees at the Jaya Gading community hall relief centre in Kuantan. Wan Rosdy acknowledged there had been minor delays during the early stages of evacuation and aid

As of 4.45pm yesterday, 12,281 evacuees from 4,022 families were sheltering at 98 temporary evacuation centres, according to the Social Welfare Department Info Bencana dashboard. Of the total, 8,005 were adults, 3,904 children and 372 infants. They included 1,127 elderly persons and 404 people with disabilities. Pahang accounted for the vast majority of evacuees, with 11,187 from 3,711 families housed at 79 centres. In Kuantan, several centres

Johor reported 356 evacuees from 93 families, all accommodated at three centres in Mersing since Dec 17, while Kelantan recorded 145 evacuees from 34 families at a single centre in Gua Musang, Sekolah Kebangsaan Lebir. Amid the surge of flood reports in Pahang, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail urged the public not to circulate unverified information, warning that it could cause unnecessary anxiety among affected