KOTA KINABALU: The City Hall and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) will come up with three projects as a long-term solution to the flood problem in Damai, Lido Basin and Inanam.
The first project will be in Damai where the flood problem is due to a new road construction, said Datuk Edward Khoo after chairing the third meeting of KK Drainage and Flooding Problem Committee at the City Hall yesterday.
The DID, together with Public Works Department (PWD) and City Hall technical department, will come out with a proposal to resolve the flooding problem in Damai area, he said.
“We have to come up with a proposal very soon and then submit it to the State Government to get an allocation,” he said, adding that the final figure has not been worked out.
Edward, who is also Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department, said that at certain areas, the flood problem cannot be resolved by merely clearing the blockage and maintenance of drains because it requires a long-term solution.
He said the second project will be carried out in Lido Basin and it will cost more than RM100 million as it covers numerous flood-prone areas up to Fortuna and Petagas.
“To resolve the flood problem in Lido Basin, we will set up ‘floodgate and drain-18’ leading to Sg Petagas near Kg Sedomon and a floodgate at Sembulan River behind Wisma Muis.
“We are waiting for them to come up with the estimated cost because they already have the proposal done.
“We have to submit the estimated cost to the State Government so that later we can recommend to them the long-term solution to minimize flood problem in Inanam area,” he said.
Edward said the committee is not only monitoring but also resolving and mitigating flood problem.
“Apart from that we are also working on long-term solution to request the State Government to implement projects,” he said.
He said there are two flood mitigation projects costing around RM10 million each in Kg Tebobon and Kg Dambai near Sepanggar Bay junction.
“We will implement these projects by early next year,” he said, adding that it is part of a long-term solution to the flood problem in the two areas.
Edward refuted claimed by certain people that they did not take any action to overcome the flood problem.
He said that since the committee was set up in July 2009, they have managed to resolve the flood problem at various areas, including Jalan Damai.
Since July, Jalan Damai has not been flooded even during heavy rain, he said.