KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 8): No planning permission for developments around flood retention ponds in the capital will be approved until all technical requirements have been met, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said on Thursday.

The move aims to strengthen development controls and mitigate flood risks in Kuala Lumpur.

Yeoh said developers would have to fulfil all requirements set by the Kuala Lumpur Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) before planning permission is granted.

“So there will no longer be any conditional approvals. If the requirements have not been fulfilled, we will not grant planning permission until they are met,” she told the Dewan Rakyat during the oral question-and-answer session.

Currently, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and JPS Kuala Lumpur oversee 28 flood retention ponds in the capital, with a combined area of 737 acres and a capacity of 13.1 million cubic metres.

Of the total, 15 ponds are under JPS supervision while the remaining 13 are managed by DBKL.

Under the Kuala Lumpur 2040 development plan, the government has outlined plans to gazette all identified flood retention ponds and retain the functions of existing ponds that have been alienated for upgrading to reduce the impact of floods in the capital, Yeoh said.

The Federal Territories Department has also established a task force chaired by its director general, involving multiple agencies to strengthen coordination and flood mitigation measures in Kuala Lumpur.

Yeoh said DBKL would also strengthen governance and compliance with development requirements relating to flood mitigation infrastructure, including ensuring that technical requirements under its Earthwork Plan Guidelines and Engineering Plan Guidelines are effectively implemented.

Inter-agency cooperation and coordination would also be enhanced to ensure flood mitigation infrastructure assets are properly managed, maintained and preserved so they can continue to function optimally and safeguard public safety and well-being, she said.

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