KOTA KINABALU: While there may be steps that could have been taken to mitigate flooding, the blame should not be solely placed on the government, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun.
“I hope the people understand that yes, there are things that we should have done to mitigate the impact (of flood). But some things are simply beyond our control, like the weather,” he said.
Commenting on the recent bout of weather and massive flooding that hit the state last week, Masidi said that although unsustainable development may be a contributing factor, it should not be viewed as the sole point of blame as it was also a week of ‘unnatural weather pattern’.
“We understand the suffering and the destruction that have been caused by the flood. But we cannot control the weather.
“As someone who was raised in the kampung, I empathize and truly understand what they (flood victims) went through. But we cannot fully put the blame on the government for everything,” he said when met after launching the Study on Integated E-Waste Management in Sabah, at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort here yesterday.
He pointed out that development in each district is under the authority and jurisdiction of the respective local authorities or district councils, while the ministries only assist.
“There are regardless, lessons to be learned from the recent flooding, which I hope the departments concerned will take note of and although it can’t all be done at one time, it is hoped that more systematic ways of mitigating the destructive effects of flood can be established,” he added.
When asked to comment on allegations of the Babagon dam being a contributing factor to the flood hence the concerns of building a bigger dam such as the Kaiduan Dam, Masidi said, “I can’t comment on that (as) it’s not on yet. No decision yet by the government (on Kaiduan dam).”