Lau (third right) updates Ting (sixth right) and others on the latest and proposed drainage projects for Miri city.
MIRI: An amount of RM5 million has been allocated for the implementation of community projects in Piasau constituency under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP).
This was disclosed by Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting, who said the money would be used for the proposed projects in various villages across the constituency.
Speaking to The Borneo Post after chairing a meeting on RTP for Piasau constituency at Miri City Council (MCC) on Monday, Ting said he would finalise the projects after getting a clearer picture from the ground.
Thus, he urged village chiefs in his constituency to submit their proposed projects, which would be undertaken according to priority.
However, he told the community leaders that the Minister for Local Government Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian would give additional funds for any urgent project to supplement the given allocation.
On the meeting, he said most of the issues highlighted by the people in the constituency were on drainage problems.
Also present in the meeting were SUPP Pujut chairman Adam Yii, Miri Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) divisional engineer Lau Wee, MCC executive engineer Dennis Ng, a representative from Miri Public Works Department (JKR), a member of executive committee of SUPP Piasau branch, Temenggong Abdul Rahman Fadzail and local community leaders.
Earlier, Ng told those attending the meeting that 10 areas in the city had been identified as flood-prone — Kampung Batu Satu, Kampung Sealine, Kampung Pengkalan Lutong, Kampung Pujut Adong, Jalan Pantai of Piasau Garden, Krokop/Piasau 7, 8 and 9 areas, Kampung Lereng Bukit, Kampung Tanjung Batu, Kampung Luak and Jalan Shangrila/Sim Kheng Hong.
In view of that, he said a master drainage would be built to address the issue effectively because these low lying areas were still prone to flooding, even after the construction of a reinforced concrete drain.
“The availability of road reserve for the areas is a constraint as most of the villages only have small road reserve.”
On another matter, Ng assured the people that the council would continue to address the illegal dumping of rubbish as well as maintenance works in the areas.
Meanwhile, Lau said some RM30 million under RTP had been allocated for flood mitigation projects across the city.
Presently, he said RM4.8 million had been set aside for flood mitigation projects in various areas across Piasau Jaya and Piasau Utara, retention ponds at Eco Park, Jalan Airport and Taman Tunku, which he hoped would be completed by the end of this year.
In addition to existing projects, he said DID had proposed for the undertaking of a mammoth monsoon drainage project for the city, which would cost millions of ringgits.