TAWAU: Assistant Finance Minister Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan will arrange for the Tawau Chinese Chamber of Commerce to meet the Chief Minister today for a discussion on the flood problem faced by Tawau.
FOR THE ALBUM: Tawfiq (seated fourth left) receiving the petition from Yap.
Tawfiq who had a dialogue with the Chamber led by its president Datuk Yap Yew Sin said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman would be in Tawau to officiate the Tawau Cultural Festival and he would arrange for the meeting.
The Chamber, comprising of various business sectors including plantations and trading, raised the flood issue in Tawau especially at Sin On and called for a deliberation to resolve the matter as Tawau has been facing severe flood problem for many years without any effective remedy.
The flood had caused huge damage to properties though numerous talks on workable solutions had been tried to no avail.
The general public is of the opinion that long term solution to the problem lies on the necessity to improve the river channel and the drainage system.
Tawfiq said the government was informed during the state legislative assembly in November last year and a representative from Tawau had handed a petition with 8,000 signatures.
“Tomorrow, the Chief Minister will be in Tawau and we will state this matter is serious and get a positive response on enlarging the Tawau River and on flood mitigation program,” he said, yesterday.
In the dialogue they also touched on the infrastructure at plantations where the roads are damaged and caused low production and losses to small-holders and the government tax revenue.
“This revenue (plantation) is the highest for Sabah so the Chamber’s representative asked that attention be given to plantation roads like in Kalumpang that need repairs.
We need to assist the plantation sector because they contribute to the economy,” he said.
Another issue raised was the shortage of labour for the plantations, especially from Indonesia which Tawfiq said would be brought to the government’s attention.
Call to make Tawau a tourism destination
Tawau: Tourism players and the business sector had been called to cooperate and make Tawau a tourism destination in Sabah and Malaysia.