ACEM Sabah urges long-term, preventive flood management

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 13): The Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) Sabah Branch calls for a decisive shift toward long-term, preventive flood management following the flash floods that impacted several districts on January 4.

While expressing sympathy to residents affected by the floods, ACEM Sabah acknowledges the swift response by the Sabah State Government and local authorities.

ACEM Sabah notes that recurring incidents suggest opportunities to further enhance systemic challenges in land use planning, drainage capacity and river management.

ACEM Sabah chairman Ir. Benny Song emphasized that flooding should be approached as a fundamental planning and engineering challenge. Rapid development and changes in land use have increased vulnerability in both urban and rural areas, often outpacing existing drainage infrastructure.

“Flood resilience must be integrated into development planning and infrastructure design from the outset,” said Benny. “Consulting engineers play a vital role in providing independent, technically sound advice to help the government mitigate risks before disasters occur”.

ACEM Sabah advocates for a broader, integrated water management strategy. Technical studies by local Sabah water engineering expert Datuk Ir. Ts. Dr. Amarjit Singh and Professor Dr. Nor Azazi Zakaria of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, including those by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM), have suggested that structural measures are most effective when paired with:

Catchment Management: Protecting river corridors and managing basin-wide planning.

Sustainable Drainage: Implementing flood retention measures to manage runoff at the source.

Integrated Water Security: Exploring the potential for capturing surplus runoff during wet seasons to enhance both flood mitigation and long-term water supply resilience.

The association notes that several technical concepts, such as off-river storage and coastal reservoirs, are currently being discussed within the engineering community as potential ways to reduce flood peaks while creating strategic freshwater reserves. In low-lying coastal areas, well-designed reservoir systems may also serve as a barrier against seawater intrusion.

“Sabah’s high rainfall and extensive coastline offer an opportunity to rethink floodwater management,” Ir. Benny noted. “Instead of focusing solely on rapid discharge to the sea, we can evaluate strategies to retain and treat excess water as part of a holistic resource plan”.

ACEM Sabah reaffirms its readiness to assist the Sabah State Government through professional advisory services, complementary technical expertise technical reviews, and the sharing of best engineering practices. Integrated flood mitigation and climate resilience remain essential to safeguarding the state’s infrastructure and future.