Saving KL’s flood retention ponds
THE Kuala Lumpur Land and Mines Office (PTGWP) is proceeding with the degazettement of Sungai Bunus flood retention pond, says a spokesperson.

He said the land classifications to “flood retention pond” and “open area” were to ensure better management and maintenance by respective agencies of the facility in Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

It involves the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) for the flood retention pond and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for the open spaces.

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Additionally, the move will expand the flood reserve area once land classification is finalised.

The spokesperson said with this, the total size of the flood retention pond would exceed its previous size.

“This request came from Kuala Lumpur DID, and we are currently coordinating with the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) for the degazettement process,” the spokesperson said.

“Once the revocation is completed, we will regazette the pond by including the larger portion of land.

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“The regazettement process, involving feedback from the Survey and Mapping Department of Malaysia (Jupem), Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Bhd (PNMB), and the AGC, will take about three months.”

The decision to degazette the land faced public scrutiny earlier this year as the Sungai Bunus flood retention pond was only gazetted four years ago after it was approved as an impounding reservoir by Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Land Executive Committee (JKTWPKL).

The decision was aimed at strengthening the city’s defences against flooding. Nor Hisham: Entire Kuala Lumpur flood mitigation system is interconnected and dependent on each component.

On Dec 27, 2023, JKTWPKL issued a Federal Government Gazette for the Notice of Proposed Revocation of Reservation Land for Public Use.

The move to degazette the land sparked objections from those living in the vicinity of Sungai Bunus.

Two retired directors from different government agencies contacted by StarMetro are pushing for PTGWP to prioritise protecting flood retention ponds in Kuala Lumpur.

They suggested designating these ponds as protected areas, rather than modifying the status of those already serving as flood reservoirs.

They said revoking the gazetted status of flood retention ponds would expose the surrounding land to potential future development.

Retired DID director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohd Ghazali said: “It’s common practice for the land office to seek feedback only from the landowner, like DBKL, regarding land matters.

“However, the land office overlooks the fact that Kuala Lumpur’s entire flood mitigation system is interconnected and dependent on each component.

“Therefore, degazetting land requires input from DID as well.”

In response to StarMetro reports on Jan 6 and Feb 5, Nor Hisham stated that regardless of land ownership, if a pond was integral to the city’s flood mitigation, the responsible agency must be involved in decision-making.

Hooi Yoke Meng, former director of DBKL’s Drainage and River Management Department, emphasised the need for broader perspective of Kuala Lumpur’s flood retention ponds.

“These ponds are vital to the city’s overall flood mitigation, not merely for individual development projects,” he said in advising those involved in the original gazettement to maintain their status.

Ponds like Batu and Taman Wahyu, essential for flood mitigation, have been alienated for development and face future flooding risks.

The Sungai Bunus flood retention pond was gazetted on July 31, 2018.

Flashback to StarMetro’s report on Feb 5.

Historically, it has played a critical role in flood control, especially during heavy rain, by channelling water into the pond, thus mitigating flooding.

The area has experienced significant disruptions due to flooding, particularly when Sungai Bunus overflowed.
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THE Kuala Lumpur Land and Mines Office (PTGWP) is proceeding with the degazettement of Sungai Bunus flood retention pond, says a spokesperson.