639 TONNES OF WASTE COLLECTED IN POST-FLOOD CLEANUP IN JOHOR

JOHOR BAHRU, March 28 (Bernama) -- A total of 639 tonnes of flood waste has been collected during the post-flood clean-up in affected districts across the state, said State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.

He said the operation in severely affected areas, including the Pontian, Batu Pahat, Kluang, and Johor Bahru districts, had reached 80 per cent as of yesterday and was expected to be fully completed within two days before Aidilfitri.

Mohd Jafni said more than 1,000 personnel from various agencies, including local authorities (PBT), SWCorp, SWM Environment, the Public Works Department, the Civil Defence Force, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Volunteer Department, and NGO volunteers, were involved in the clean-up efforts.

“This morning, I chaired the Post-Flood Operations meeting as instructed by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to ensure the cleanliness and safety of affected areas are restored immediately,” he said in a statement today.

He added that 52 heavy vehicles, including compactor trucks, cleaning machinery, and utility vehicles, were deployed to expedite the cleaning process.

To ensure smoother waste management, Mohd Jafni said several post-flood waste transit centres had been established in strategic locations, such as Jalan Taruka, to facilitate faster waste disposal and minimise congestion before being sent to the main landfill.

“Cleaning works are also being carried out in areas outside official townships, such as slum areas, especially those severely affected, through corporate social responsibility (CSR) collaborations with agencies and private companies. 

“This effort clearly demonstrates the commitment of all parties to ensuring no area is left out of the government’s attention,” he said.

Mohd Jafni also said the state government had established a special task force to reassess development aspects, particularly in slum areas and along Sungai Skudai and Sungai Tebrau, as more than 50 per cent of the flood victims this time were from those areas.

“This task force will review aspects of urban planning, drainage, and sewerage systems, as well as explore long-term solutions to reduce the risk of future floods,” he said.

--BERNAMA