SINGAPORE’S Public Utilities Board (PUB) is solely responsible for the management, maintenance and safety monitoring of Linggiu Dam in Johor under bilateral water agreements, the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (PETRA) tells the Dewan Rakyat today.
PETRA Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said PUB inspected the dam annually and conducted comprehensive inspections every five years involving certified dam inspectors, with safety updates presented periodically to Johor’s Water Regulatory Body (BAKAJ).
These arrangements allow the dam’s structural integrity and safety requirements to be assessed, with follow-up action identified where necessary, it said in a written parliamentary reply to Tenggara MP Manndzri Haji Nasib.
Abdul Rahman was responding to concerns over the dam’s safety and the effectiveness of Malaysia’s dam safety Flying Squad following a recent debris-flood disaster in Nepal linked to concerns over infrastructure management and extreme climate events.
The Flying Squad operated from 2018 to 2022 and inspected 41 dams nationwide.
In 2025, Malaysia established the National Dam Centre (PEN) to strengthen national dam safety management through inspections, technical support, coordination with dam owners and operators, and assessments of safety practices.
PEN monitors 107 dams managed by agencies and operators under Malaysian authorities, but Linggiu Dam is excluded because it is operated by Singapore’s PUB.
He said requests for information or technical coordination concerning Linggiu Dam’s safety and structural integrity must therefore be channelled through BAKAJ and PUB, subject to the parties’ respective jurisdictions and agreement.
Abdul Rahman added that the ministry, through PEN, would continue working with the Johor government and relevant agencies to examine and address identified dam safety issues, particularly those affecting communities downstream.
Linggiu Dam operates under the Johor River Water Agreement 1962 and a 1990 supplementary agreement, both signed by the Johor State Secretary on behalf of the Malaysian government, the deputy minister explained. - October 13, 2026