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The Selangor government is looking into the possibility of declaring a climate emergency in the state to address the issue of climate change and flash floods
According to Selangorkini, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said they are considering the emergency declaration after receiving a preliminary report by experts.
“We will consider (declaring a) climate emergency. It is one of our proposals. But we cannot simply announce (it) without proper research and data by experts,” said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari at an event in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday, 13 September, as quoted by Malaysiakini.
He said the full report by Universiti Putra Malaysia and the Japan International Cooperation Agency will only be completed by the end of this year or early next year.
He added that the state government will focus on plans for the coastal areas that may be hit hard in the future due to rising sea levels.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Image via Remy Arifin/Selangorkini
Amirudin was responding to a suggestion by Klang member of parliament (MP) Charles Santiago, who asked the state to declare an emergency to do more for Klang and the coastal areas of Selangor
According to Malay Mail, the federal and state governments were criticised for their slow response to the flood disaster in December 2021 and early January this year, which claimed 54 lives and displaced more than 70,000 people in seven states.
Santiago had also asked for an early warning system to be created for all flood areas, as well as for states to identify flood relief centres beforehand, and improve MetMalaysia’s weather predicting capabilities.
Image via Lianhe Zaobo/The Straits Times
Meanwhile, for now, the Selangor state government has directed the public to get ready for the next monsoon season
It warned that the Northeast Monsoon is expected to hit the state from November to December.
They also presented a list of areas at risk of floods and flash floods.