Sungai Golok dredging, RM3bil project to ease Kelantan floods

KOTA BARU: The RM22 million dredging of the Sungai Golok estuary was completed on Sept 6 and is expected to improve river flow into the sea, helping to reduce flood risks in Kelantan.

Kelantan Department of Irrigation and Drainage director Datuk Dr Siti Fairus Zakaria said the dredging was among several mitigation measures being implemented alongside infrastructure projects to improve drainage capacity and protect flood-prone areas.

She said the federal government was also implementing the Sungai Golok Integrated River Basin Development Project (PLSB), comprising Phases 1, 2 and 3, with a total allocation of RM3.044 billion to protect vulnerable areas in Pasir Mas and Tumpat.

"The project aims to reduce flood risks and protect local communities and agricultural areas vulnerable to flooding.

"The Sungai Golok PLSB also includes the construction of a dual-purpose wall to act as a flood barrier and enhance safety. However, this component is still at the design and land acquisition stage," she told Bernama recently.

During the tabling of the 2027 Budget, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Finance Minister, announced that Phase 2 of the Sungai Golok PLSB would be among the flood mitigation projects implemented next year.

The project is part of the federal government's efforts to strengthen flood mitigation in the Sungai Golok river basin, which frequently experiences river overflow during the monsoon season.