Chief Minister reveals short, medium and long term measures to mitigate flood in state capital

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he has approved RM100 million for implementing 114 flood mitigation projects throughout Sarawak.

“Out of the amount, RM45.78 million had been allocated this year to implement 97 projects, out of which 63 should be completed by the end of the year or early next year,” he told a press conference after attending a meeting with the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) at the State Operations Room in Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Petra Jaya yesterday.

“The remainder of the projects (51) will commence early next year. The implementing agencies are the local councils, Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and Public Works Department (DID).

“As at Dec 20, 2017 out of 97 projects, 13 have been completed; 71 under various stages of implementation; eight are still under tender evaluation and five at various stages of pre-implementation,” he said.

The chief minister said the short-term measures to prevent flooding were to get the relevant local authorities, DID and PWD to carry our regular maintenance of the inlet sumps, clearance of scupper drains, roadside and main drains, and periodic de-silting of the affected rivers.

He added that the medium-term measures are upgrading works to major drainage outlets at Sarawak General Hospital area, Jalan Batu Lintang, Taman Malihah, Federal Quarters area, SK Muara Tuang, Sungai Sinjan, Sungai Gersik and Sungai Tabuan dredging works with a total approved cost of RM150 million.

“Currently, these projects are under the tender evaluation stage,” he pointed out.

Whereas as a long term measure, he said the state government had approved the implementation of Sarawak Urban Storm Water Management Manual (Sustom) for new development areas.

“This is because the rapid disposal approach is no longer effective and efficient to cope with current development. This approach utilises detention or retention, infiltration and purification process. The quantity and quality of storm water (water that originates during rainfall) from developing area can be maintained to be less or equal to the pre-development condition,” he explained.

Under Sustom, he said, storm water management would have multiple green and hazard free objectives within and downstream of development areas, including to control nuisance flash flooding and provide for the safe passage of less frequent or larger flood events, to minimise the environmental impact of runoff on water quality, enhance the urban landscape and ecology, stabilise the landform and to control erosion and ensure safety of the public.

The Chief Minister then urged people to be cautious in whatever activities they would be doing during this time of erratic weather.

He advised the people to always check with the Meteorological Department on the weather situation through the MyCuaca.Com application.

On the recent floods in the state, the chief minister said, among others, these were due to the high volume of rainfall, inability of the existing drainage system to contain the extremely high volume of rain water runoff and loss of flood storage as a result of development extending into and taking over flood plains and drainage corridors.

“In Kuching, for instance, a total of 171 mm of rainfall was recorded on Dec 18, 2017 alone. High rainfall was also recorded in Samarahan, Sri Aman, Betong, Miri, Bintulu, Sibu, Limbang and Mukah divisions,” he added.

Also present at the meeting were Assistant State Secretary Datu Jaul Sameon, who represented State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, and First Division Infantry Brigade commander Major General Datuk Stephen Mundaw.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Churchill Edward

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