KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii remains concerned about the RM150-million flood mitigation project for his constituency.
He says upon completion, the project would serve as a long-term measure in dealing with the frequent floods that have been affecting the residents in many areas in his parliamentary constituency for many years.
“This is an issue that I have been debating in Parliament – to resolve the frequent flash floods affecting some low-lying areas especially around Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Jalan Batu Lintang, Jalan Tong Weh Tah, Jalan Foochow, Jalan Laksamana, and Jalan Ong Tiang Swee,” he said in a statement issued yesterday, in connection with his recent visit to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak to follow up on the progress of the flood mitigation project.
Adding on, Dr Yii also said the federal government had approved RM150 million for the Integrated River Basin Development (PLSB) Sungai Sarawak project, which would cover nine locations including upgrading drainage works on SGH, the government quarters at Jalan Tun Jugah, Jalan Batu Lintang, SK Muara Tuang and the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway.
Besides that, there would be construction of flood barriers along Sungai Gersik, Sungai Sinjan, and also dredging works on Sungai Tengah and Sungai Minjab, the MP added.
On his visit to DID Sarawak, Dr Yii pointed out the department is the authorised agency to carry out the issuance of tender for and the monitoring of the flood mitigation project.
“Based on DID updates, all processes (project planning, tender and appointment of contractors) should be finalised by November 2019, and the detailed designing process including land acquisition and investigation, will be carried out from December 2019 to December 2020, while the physical construction will commence in 2021, and (duration of project) is expected to take about four years,” he added.
Dr Yii also gave his assurance that he would do the monitoring and push for the process to be expedited so that it would not cause too much of an inconvenience to the public.
He, however, acknowledged that the project might not totally solve all the flash flood problems affecting the whole of Kuching.
“More need to be done, such as the flood mitigation projects slated for Sungai Maong Kanan and Sungai Maong Kiri.
“I will be debating this matter (in Parliament) and be pushing for it to be added into the 12th Malaysia Plan in 2021,” he said.