Juan Carlos Sánchez Rodríguez, who briefly served as the quality, safety, health and environment (QSHE) manager for the RM234 million Pedu dam project earlier this year, warned that delays in dredging could undermine the entire rehabilitation effort.
He said that the unfinished work may disrupt water supply for irrigation in the Muda agricultural zone, a vital farming area in Kedah.
“Any technical expert would recognise the situation as a growing risk if dredging, and by extension the broader rehabilitation work, is not completed within the planned time frame.
“And as QSHE manager, I had formally documented these concerns and raised them with DCN Diving’s project management team,” the Colombian told FMT.
Sanchez said dredging for the project was initially scheduled to begin on Feb 23, 2026, and conclude by mid-2027.
He warned that delays of 45 days or more could significantly affect the project timeline, the dam’s operability, and its agricultural role.
In late March, Muda Agricultural Development Authority chairman Ismail Salleh said the water level at the Muda dam in Sik had fallen to a worrying 8.04%, or 10,050 acre-feet.
He said the Muda dam plays a crucial role in collecting water and channelling it to the Pedu dam for irrigation across the Muda agricultural area.
The Muda and Pedu dams, two of Kedah’s largest reservoirs, operate in tandem as part of the Muda irrigation scheme – one of Malaysia’s most vital systems for rice cultivation and water management.
As the two dams are closely linked within the same water management system, low water levels at the Muda dam also cause lower levels at its Pedu counterpart.
Sanchez said the low water level would make dredging more difficult. He said that, to his knowledge, the dredging had yet to begin.
The Pedu dam rehabilitation project is part of the RM1 billion allocation under Budget 2025 announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to implement the “five seasons in two years” padi planting programme in areas under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority.
Phase 1 of the project, valued at about RM761 million, includes the development of 15 tertiary irrigation blocks and the comprehensive rehabilitation of Pedu dam, accounting for 30% of the total cost.
The project is being implemented through a public-private partnership involving MMC Group subsidiary, MMC Infra Padi Sdn Bhd, to strengthen irrigation capacity and ensure sufficient water supply for intensified padi planting cycles.
Sanchez said his services were terminated in March due to alleged shortcomings in project deliverables and a “mismatch with the project’s operational requirements”.
He said he has lodged a complaint with Malaysia’s human resources ministry and is awaiting a formal response.
He said a ministry representative had informed him via LinkedIn that a site visit would be conducted, although, to date, no official update has been received.
FMT has contacted DCN Diving’s office in Malaysia and MMC Group, for comment but has yet to receive a response.