Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Padang Kota) said this meant that Penang only received 21.7% of the funds for the planned projects.
These were planned under RMK9 (2006-2010), RMK10 (2011-2015) and RMK11 (2016-2020).
As a result, Chow said flood mitigation projects that should have been funded by the federal government had to be put on hold due to a lack of funds.
He listed river restoration projects at Sungai Pinang, Sungai Juru and many other river basins as being only at the “design stage” due to the “pittance” received.
Chow said federal funding of RM150 million for flood mitigation in Sungai Pinang, promised earlier this year, had also not been paid in full.
“Penang only received RM1 million this year. The rest of the allocation will be given in stages until the project is ready by 2020.”
Opposition leader Jahara Hamid (BN-Telok Ayer Tawar) told Chow to pass her the information on the shortfall in funds so she could look into the matter.
Chow then asked Jahara for a list of federal projects promised for Penang to countercheck.
Meanwhile Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) suggested that the state government use its own funds such as from the Developers’ Drainage Contribution to fund priority flood mitigation projects.
Chow replied that RM176 million from these funds had already been used for flood mitigation and drainage improvement projects.
He said another RM150 million had been allocated from the state’s coffers, via the state’s 2017 Budget, and another RM54 million spent by local governments for the same purpose.
Last month, Chow was reported as saying 21 such projects were to be carried out in the state, with funds coming from the state, federal and developers’ drainage contributions.
Developers in Penang are required to contribute RM50,000 per 0.4ha/1 acre of their development projects to the fund.
Federal govt flood fix only for BN areas, claims Penang Exco