Kho Teck Wan
KUCHING (May 13): Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP Sarawak) claims that funds for the Sungai Sarawak Integrated River Basin project (PLSB) has been sitting idly in the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) coffer for the last five years is unfounded, said Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Women chief, Kho Teck Wan.
She was quoting Sarawak DAP chairman’s assistant, Michael Kong who said that the funds for PLSB has been sitting idly in DID Sarawak’s coffer for the last five years, allegedly due to constant politicking by Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
She said, as mentioned many times in her previous statements, the PLSB is under the 11th Malaysia Plan which was approved prior to 2016.
“The fund was approved prior to GE14 but was put under review by PH government after GE14.
“Letters of offer to contractors were withdrawn by the then government, which resulted in delay of implementation, rising cost for the new design, land acquisition issues and the rising costs of building materials years later.
“After being given the green light to resume the PLSB project, DID Sarawak appointed a new consultant in 2020 and the physical implementation started in 2021,” she said.
She added, Kong who states the funds has been left sitting idly due to politicking of PN and GPS is an insult to all who have worked hard in the past five years to ensure the project is materialised.
“Kong clearly said that residents of Jalan Durian Burung and Happy Valley had suffered from known flood issues for decades. Should not former Kota Sentosa assemblyman of 16 years from 2006 to 2020 have fought for these residents during his tenure? Why blame two years ADUN Wilfred Yap who inherited the problem?
“Another DAP man, Sim Kian Leng has accused me of capitalizing on Chong’s (Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jien) illness for his absence during the flood mitigation meeting with DID Sarawak.
“In my opinion I am just stating the fact that there were no DAP YBs present in the flood mitigation discussion with DID Sarawak. Sim should not bring up one’s illness to the public’s attention, when there are many other DAP assemblymen available to attend the DID meeting,” she said.
Kho explained, PLSB flood mitigation project is federal funded.
DAP, she said, is now part of the federal government with many members of parliament voted by Sarawakians to speak in parliament so real action can be taken.
“Instead of criticizing in social media and the press in Sarawak which yield no result, DAP Sarawak should learn from the Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Hui Kian, by bringing the issues to federal authorities.
“They should also learn from YB Loke (Anthony Loke, Transport Minister) and YB Nik Nazmi (Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change of Malaysia) who are gracious in their requests with sincere intention to solve problems,” she said.