UCYP LEADS THE WAY VIA ITS FIRST HYBRID PROGRAM: FLOOD MITIGATION: STRATEGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

UCYP created another milestone via the organization of Flood Mitigation Seminar: Strategies for Environmental Sustainability. The ceremony was held in hybrid mode on 4th April 2022 in Yayasan Pahang Main Hall, Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan Pahang. The seminar was a collaboration between the state of Pahang via the Pahang State Committee for Tourism, Culture, Environment, Plantation and Commodities. With the presence of 130 participants who attended physically and 330 participated through online, the program received overwhelming support from the state assemblymen, state and federal head of departments, representatives from government and private agencies, NGOs, as well as academic experts from both public and private educational institutions.

The distress over the recent flood and water phenomenon that hit Pahang at the end of 2021, has driven Pahang State Government via the Chairman of Pahang State Committee for Tourism, Culture, Environment, Plantation and Commodities, YB. Dato’ Sri Haji Mohd Sharkar Bin Hj. Shamsudin in collaboration with UCYP to address the matter seriously.

The seminar aims to emphasize the issues that lead to severe floods not only in Pahang but also Malaysia. Effective and efficient mechanisms are sought to overcome the disaster. It also serves as a platform for the experts to share their findings, observations and experiences with significant action plans for environmental sustainability.

The seminar incorporates four prominent panelists from various fields and portfolios such as Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Komoo (Head of Cluster – Environment & Sustainability, Academy of Malaysian Professors & Principal Research Fellow of the Institute of Environment & Development – LESTARI, UKM), Ir. Dr. Safari Bin Haji Mat Desa (Director, River Basin Research Center, Malaysian National Water Research Institute), Prof. Madya Dr. Ahmad Fikri Bin Abdullah (Head, Aquatic Ecosystem and Management Laboratory I-AQUAS, UPM) and Ir. Roslina Bt Yusop (Director, Pahang State Department of Irrigation and Drainage).

The fruitful session began with top geologists/geohazards in Malaysia, Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Komoo with the title Kajian Forensik, Bencana Banjir Puing di Lembangan Sungai Bentong, Pahang (Forensic Study, Debris Flood Disaster in Sungai Bentong Basin, Pahang). He illustrates that flood disasters that occurred, were started from the phenomenon of Proses Geologi Berantai at highland ridges and flowed into the floodplain in a River Basin. Thus, hundreds of landslides occurred in mountainous areas, followed by dozens of debris flows in mountain valleys. The occurrence of debris and massive water flows causes debris floods in the highlands valleys, also mud floods in lowlands. This process is quite complex, therefore strategic and tactical plans should be conducted in accordance with their types and impact of the disaster.

Next, Kejadian Kepala Air: Kaedah Kawalan dan Hala Tuju Penyelidikan (Column of Water: Controlled Methods and Research Direction) became the main focus point of Ir. Dr. Safari Bin Haji Mat Desa. He presented and shared experiences of the phenomenon of river source in Gunung Jerai in August 2021.  Heavy streams along with piles of waste and logs caused massive flow into nearby settlements. Terminology of old latent landslides / old-dormant landslide that describes an area of an old landslide that can be reactivated as what happened in Gunung Jerai last year. NAHRIM discovered one of the techniques to overcome the disaster is SABO structural technology. It is widely used in Japan, Indonesia, Nepal and the Philippines to curb the occurrence of river source and debris flow as well as the prevention of erosion and sedimentation. Finally, NAHRIM is committed to creating an integrated Management and Monitoring Plan, Formulating Search, Rescue and Evacuation Plan methods as well as launching research projects and optimizing study results in smart collaboration with relevant agencies.

The third speaker, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Fikri Bin Abdullah shared his findings on Flood Mitigation Based on Nature Based Solutions (NBS) – Reflections on cooperation with the European Union through the Project ‘RECONECT’. This project was a joint venture with the European Union which started in 2018 and is expected to be completed in 2023. It focuses on hydro-meteorological risk reduction and nature-based framework that is promoted by the European Union. The objective of this program is to produce an integrated and comprehensive system of hydro-meteorological risk reduction which includes floods, storms, landslides and droughts as well as to identify barriers/methods to overcome the phenomena. Apart from that, this project also increases the creation of new innovations in preserving the environment.

Lastly, this seminar ended with a sharing session from the Director, Pahang State Irrigation and Drainage Department, Ir. Roslina Bt Yusop. She highlighted the roles and functions of JPS, current statistics of floods in Pahang, types of flood disasters (monsoon floods, flash floods and coastal floods) as well as the roots of the natural disasters. She also emphasized the principles and short/long term action plan of JPS in overcoming the severity of the floods in Pahang, so that it will not continue to become a national polemic anymore. Among the strategies that have been formed are by conducting cliffs stabilization, regular infrastructure maintenance, Projek Rancangan Tebatan Banjir (RTB), Program Ramalan dan Amaran Banjir (PRAB) and more.

It is hoped that the input shared will be useful to develop a strategic plan for flood disaster control and stand as a benchmark to environmental sustainability.

Written by: Farah Hariaty Mohd Shukri

Welcoming Speech by Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Haji Zainuddin, UCYP Vice Chancellor & Advisor of Flood Mitigation Seminar: Strategies for Environmental Sustainability

Officiated by YB. Dato’ Sri Haji Mohd Sharkar bin Shamsudin Chairman, Pahang Tourism, Culture, Environment, Plantation and Commodities Committee

Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Komoo, (Head of Environment & Sustainability Cluster, Academy of Malaysian Professors & Principal Research Fellow of the Institute of Environment & Development – LESTARI, UKM) shared his findings

Online sharing by Ir. Dr. Safari Bin Haji Mat Desa (Director of the River Basin Study Center, NAHRIM)

Sharing session by the third online speaker, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Fikri Bin Abdullah
 (Head of Aquatic Ecosystem and Management Laboratory  I-AQUAS, UPM)

Ir. Roslina Bt Yusop (Director, Pahang State Irrigation and Drainage Department) delivered the input of her agency’s roles

Q&A sessions throughout Flood Mitigation Seminar: Strategies for Environmental Sustainability

Inside out on Flood Mitigation Seminar: Strategies for Environmental Sustainability