April_1971 — Page 45

The Muda irrigation project

RAINFALL and run-of-river irrigation

schemes have in the past allowed the cultivation of only one rice crop per year in Western Malaysia and that during the wet period between August and December. Even this crop failed occasionally through water shortage, since there were no stored or pumped water supplies. It was quite impossible to cultivate a second crop during the rest of the year.

The possibility of an irrigation pro- ject to serve the Kedah and Perlis re- gion of Western Malaysia was raised many years ago by the Drainage and Irrigation Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives. But it is only ten years since the consulting en- gineers for the project, Sir William Hal-

Far East BUILDER, April 1971 Page 45

DRAINAGE & IRRIGATION DIVISION Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Government of Malaysia

SIR WILLIAM HALCROW & PARTNERS

KAJIMA-TAISEI JOINT VENTURE, Tokyo

SENTAB, Stockholm

NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CO., Kuala Lumpur QUEE HIN HUAT, Ipoh

crow and Partners, were appointed to prepare a preliminary report, submit ted in 1961.

Site investigations, aerial surveys and economic studies followed and further reports were submitted and ac- cepted by the Government of Malaysia in 1965. These reports showed that it would be possible to increase the rice yield from the area under investigation

employers, and designers of the reticulation system

consulting engineers for reservoirs and main canals

main contractors, reservoir

contractors, main canals

some 400 square miles of coastal plain in Kedah and Perlis from 230,000 tons to some 654,000 tons annually.

The project was seen as one of great importance to the economy of Malaysia. At that time the nation was importing approximately 346,000 tons of rice each year.

After studying the proposals, the

39

Page 45Page 46