Anwar raps agencies over repeated flooding in Selangor, orders immediate action

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaks to the media after Friday prayers in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur November 13, 2026. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

First Published: Friday, 13 Nov 2026 4:49 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today criticised government agencies for failing to address flooding in Selangor, calling it unacceptable that residents are forced to endure flooding four to five times a year.

Speaking to reporters after performing Friday prayers in Brickfields here, Anwar said repeated disruptions continue to place a heavy burden on the public, even if floodwaters do not reach high levels.

“Following my engagement with Cabinet ministers and the Selangor state government yesterday, I convened a meeting in Parliament to address the ongoing flood crisis,” he said.

“I cannot accept a situation where residents have to deal with floods four to five times a year. Even if the water levels are not high, the impact still burdens the people.”

Anwar said he had ordered the relevant agencies, including the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, to start mitigation efforts immediately without delaying previously agreed-upon works.

He acknowledged that floods could be caused by factors beyond human control, but stressed that proactive measures must be taken to reduce flood risks and minimise their impact on local communities.

Under Budget 2026, tabled in October 2025, the Anwar administration allocated RM2.2 billion specifically for flood mitigation projects.

Last Monday, Anwar had announced a special one-off RM2,500 cash assistance for eligible flood-hit households in Selangor, with the state government contributing an additional RM500, bringing the total assistance to RM3,000 per household.