KOTA KINABALU: State PKR Wanita deputy chief Jen Lasimbang yesterday contended the proposed Kaiduan Dam project in the district has nothing to do with mitigation measures to resolve the incessant flooding in Penampang, especially in Moyog.
“A BN assemblyman, Charles Pang Su Pin, in his statement dated 8 November 2013, had confirmed that after an intensive study, the State Government proposed the construction of the Kaiduan Dam, which is currently being opposed by opposition representatives, community leaders, NGOs and thousands of electorates from Penampang, partly to overcome the flooding problem in the district.
“I would like to seek an explanation from the State Government as to how Kaiduan Dam would be able to solve the flooding problem in the district, considering that the proposed dam will be built at the Papar River, while the proposed flood mitigation plan of Penampang, which was approved in 2011, will be taking place at the Moyog River and its tributaries,” said Lasimbang.
“Or will the State Government be flooding half of Moyog so that the Moyog River will be diverted to the Kaiduan Dam?” she asked.
Jen also referred to the comment made by the BN assemblyman that the State Government was not punishing the parliamentary constituency of Penampang and both the state constituencies of Moyog and Kepayan respectively as development and poverty eradication programmes would be realized in stages through its manifesto pledged during the 13th general election.
“Since the assemblyman has confirmed that the BN government would not be punishing the district for voting the opposition, I seek the confirmation from the State Government that a secondary school in Upper Moyog will be built by next year, as promised by Prime Minister Najib Razak when he visited Penampang earlier this year to officiate at the opening of Inobong Bridge,” she said.
“Considering that the promise came from the BN chairman himself, the building of the secondary school is the first thing which the BN government, as a trustee of public fund, must do to prove its sincerity to the people of Penampang,” she said.