Tiong discusses with officials from DID and SRB on the flooding problems in Dudong.
SIBU (Jan 6): A master plan to dredge the riverbeds of Rajang and Igan rivers is needed to effectively cope with the flooding problems in the Dudong areas, Dudong assemblyman Dato Sri Tiong King Sing has pointed out.
He said they had to go to the root causes to treat the issues and problems the people were facing in water management and flood mitigation.
“I must stress that merely improving drains will only solve a part of the entire problem of floods. To rid the entire Sibu, especially Dudong, of flash floods, we must dredge the riverbeds in Rajang and Igan rivers as soon as possible,” he said in a media statement.
Tiong had earlier called on the Sibu Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) to look into the rising water levels issue in Dudong areas, including Stabau, Sentosa, and Jalan Salim.
Tiong said that was the right medicine for the sickness, instead of just curing the symptoms.
“Sadly however, based on reports from the related departments, the excavators currently used for drainage and ditch digging projects are all small tonnage models.
“My point of view is that these machines are not big enough to perform any meaningful work to widen and deepen the rivers, only to clear garbage clogging the rivers, which had caused siltation and prevented smooth river flow.
“We also cannot simply widen the river width without lowering the depth. It is crucial that we dig deep and reinforce mud ditches with concrete.”
The Bintulu MP said it was particularly urgent to help the residents of Sentosa, Salim, Durin, and other areas who are mostly lower-income earners.
He said focus must be on upgrading small drains into reinforced concrete drains that are wider to prepare for sudden and rapid increases in water volume.
“This should improve the local problems of insufficient drain capacity which lead to flash floods and other disasters.
“Doing this is important to protect the residents from being plagued by frequent flash floods which will place great financial and health burdens on low-income households and the economy too.”
Tiong said from feedback, he was made to understand that DID had previously applied for a grant of RM10 million to carry out riverbed survey work on the Rajang and Igan rivers.
“When I checked on this matter not long ago, the director disclosed that a total of RM6 million had been approved.
“However, the department had then also said that it intended to use only RM2.8 million to conduct the relevant survey.
“This is absolutely unacceptable to me. A total of RM6 million was granted for this work, where did the other RM3.2 million go to?”
Tiong said the river survey work should be prioritised by the DID and the Land and Survey Department because the entire stretch that needs to be checked runs from Kapit to Tanjong Manis.
“This is only about 555 km while Igan to the port is about 145km. The technology requirements and equipment are not complicated. A survey team only needs to carry survey machines, software, generators, and a ship.
“DID and Land and Survey are already competent in this area without needing to resort to outsourcing, saving funds for other important areas of improvement.”
Tiong reminded the relevant officers to prioritise improving the flood mitigation measures in these areas by identifying areas that need urgent attention.
He said they must allocate funds quickly to address local problems to prevent unnecessary suffering and losses.
“We must adopt long-term response strategies and plans to address needs 15 to 20 years into the future.”
from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3JLcvuh
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