No more excuses: Selangor Sultan displeased with cleanliness and repeated flooding in Royal City of Klang

KLANG, Dec 6 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, yesterday expressed disappointment over the cleanliness standards in the Royal City of Klang.

Expressing that he is proud of the rapid development and historical value of the city, the Emperor pointed out that the rivers are filled with garbage and many areas are dirty and poorly organized.

Sultan Sharafuddin shared that he has received many complaints from both local and foreign tourists, including those arriving via cruise ships via Klang Port.

He said these visitors described their displeasure with the garbage-strewn sight of Klang Harbor and the Royal City of Klang as disgusting.

“It is pointless for us to be proud of our rapid development if we cannot solve even basic problems such as hygiene,” His Highness said while officiating the inauguration of the Jamek Cina Muslim Klang Masjid here yesterday.

Sultan Şerafeddin said that rivers full of garbage and poorly maintained sewers cause frequent floods in the city.

His Majesty said he had repeatedly rebuked and advised local authorities and the state government to take effective action and careful planning to solve the flood problem in the Royal City of Klang and some other parts of Selangor, but floods continue to occur every year.

“We should not use climate change or excessive rainfall, which is presented as ‘God’s will’, as an excuse for floods.

“I am tired of raising this issue with government and local officials every year and having it ignored. Why can’t we solve this problem?” he said.

However, Sultan Şerafeddin emphasized that there is no challenge too big to overcome as long as the relevant parties are determined to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.

“Millions of ringgit have been allocated to solve the flood problem in both the short and long term, but no significant results are visible yet.

“I would like to emphasize that if a contractor cannot effectively fulfill its responsibility to solve this flooding problem, my government should appoint a more competent contractor who can actually solve the problem,” His Highness said.

Sultan Sharafuddin also called on all parties to learn from past mistakes, especially the devastating floods in December 2021 that nearly paralyzed many districts of Selangor, and take necessary steps for recovery for the benefit of the people.

He ordered the Klang Royal City Council and the state government to take immediate action to address the flood problem in Selangor and urged them to make full use of the financial resources allocated for the purpose.

The Sultan also called for urgent steps to increase sanitation in the Royal City of Klang, as well as the urgent development of a comprehensive plan and the formation of a task force to solve the flood problem.

“I expect results soon. From now on, if the problem remains unresolved, I do not want to hear any excuses,” His Majesty said. — Bernama