CAP Urges Urgent National Inquiry into Flood Problems

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) calls on the authorities to establish a committee of experts, including civil society representatives, to study the root causes of the perennial flood problem and to make recommendations to remedy it.

According to the Special Report on the Impact of Floods in Malaysia 2024 by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, it is estimated that Malaysia recorded total losses amounting to RM933.4 million in 2024 due to floods. Losses in the agricultural sector increased to RM185.2 million from RM120.6 million in 2023.

The floods, which are increasingly spreading throughout the country and involve the states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Selangor, should not be attributed solely to the increase in heavy rainfall. We must take a holistic approach to study all the causes. Rain is a common phenomenon every year, but how do we deal with it? Floods not only lead to loss of life, damage to property and destruction of agricultural products but also have a major impact on the country’s economy.

Rapid urban development without long-term planning is one of the main causes of flooding. The expansion of impermeable surface areas, coupled with narrow drains that cannot accommodate large amounts of rainwater, is the reason for the unending urban floods.

The replacement of natural green areas such as hills, floodplains and trees that act as water absorbers, together with deforestation and the development of hill areas, further exacerbates the flood problem that has hit the country.

Deforestation leads to soil erosion and landslides, which increase the sediment load in surface water runoff, leading to the accumulation of runoff in downstream areas. Rivers become shallow due to sedimentation and their capacity to discharge rainwater is reduced.

Irresponsible garbage disposal also causes drains to become clogged, resulting in water-logging.

This will not be the last flood disaster to hit the country. In fact, many residents are worried about what will happen to their homes and surroundings when the rain falls.

There are several steps that can be taken to ensure that the impact of annual floods is not too severe, with all relevant parties needing to ensure that development is controlled through proper planning.

Environmental, drainage, transportation and social impact assessments should be carried out for every project. Stricter conditions must be imposed for the protection of slopes and hilly land from indiscriminate development.

Stricter monitoring of development projects and greening more urban spaces, including park systems, urban forests and riverbank protection, are needed to prevent erosion. Flood prevention should also be prioritised in every development plan.

While we cannot stop the rain, the floods that occur can be prevented or made less destructive if the root causes are addressed.

Mohideen Abdul Kader
President
Consumers’ Association of Penang

Letter to the Editor, 1 December 2025