State govt approves implementation of urban storm water plan
Prof Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian
KUCHING: The state government has approved the implementation of the Sarawak Urban Storm Water Management Manual (SUStom) as a long-term measure to address flooding that may arise in new development areas.
Minister of Local Government Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian told a press conference after the morning session of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday that the rapid disposal approach was no longer effective and efficient in coping with current development.
“It is timely to take proactive measures to change the rapid disposal approach to a more environment-friendly approach known as controlled at source,” he explained.
This approach, he said, utilised detention/retention infiltration and purification processes.
“The quantity of stormwater from developing areas can be maintained to be less or equal to the pre-development condition,” he said.
Dr Sim also expressed the need to reactivate the Divisional Urban Drainage Committee involving the Public Works Department, Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) as well as local authorities to enhance coordination in addressing flood woes.
“This will allow work to upgrade or repair drainage systems that fall under different departments to be streamlined
for better service delivery,” he said.
Other long-term measures, he said, would include the preparation of land use master plan incorporating stormwater management requirements such as river reserve and regional detention/retention for integrated planning.
“A sum of RM11 million has been approved for the Urban Stormwater Masterplan Studies in urban centres such as Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Bintangor, Limbang, Lawas and Serian,” he said.
The DID, he added, had also submitted a proposal for mitigation projects for regional floods.
A total of RM2.9 billion had been requested from the federal government under the 11th Malaysia Plan, while the project cost approved under the first Rolling Plan was RM357 million.
As for medium-term measures, Dr Sim, who is also Batu Kawah assemblyman, said there was an urgent need to upgrade major drain outlets for several areas badly affected by flash floods.
The list of areas include Sarawak General Hospital, which would require a cost of RM15 million, Jalan Batu Lintang (RM20 million), Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho (RM25 million), Federal Quarters (RM15 million), Sungai Tabuan Dredging (RM2 million) and Taman Malihah (RM22 million).
Dr Sim added some of the immediate measures proposed would be maintenance of scupper drains and roadside drains; clearing debris and silt in major outlet drains; upgrading some sections of undersized roadside drains; reviewing the design of inlet sump to scupper drains in order to reduce road surface run-off issues; and upgrading drains around Padang Merdeka, which would cost an estimated RM8 million.
The press conference was also attended by Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Assistant Minister of Rural Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, as well as assemblymen Datuk Sebastian Ting (BN-Piasau), Lo Khere Chiang (BN-Batu Kitang) and Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii (BN-Repok).