By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 22: More than 9,000 residents are expected to benefit from the RM87 million Stampin Resettlement Scheme Flood Mitigation Project, which aims to reduce flash floods through major drainage upgrades.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said Phase One would focus on upgrading major drains before connecting smaller drains in residential lanes, ensuring water could flow into the main drainage system and eventually the Sarawak River.
“You must do the big ones first. Otherwise, if you do the smaller ‘lorong’ (lanes) first, the water still cannot flow into the big drains,” he said during a site visit in Jalan Stampin Baru today.
He said the first phase would also involve opening up reserve drains leading to the Sarawak River to improve water discharge and reduce flash flooding.
Dr Sim said the project was particularly important for the Stampin Resettlement Scheme, which has been around for more than 50 years and lacked proper drainage infrastructure in its early days.
“We are very fortunate that the Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has given the approval. Through all the designs and all those things, it takes a bit of time, and finally, with Phase One, all the drainage upgrade and flood mitigation go together,” he said.
The RM87.96 million project, undertaken by TMK Construction and Transport Sdn Bhd, runs from Sept 14, 2026 to March 13, 2029.
Phase One involves upgrading about 6km of existing roadside drains, including replacing earth drains with reinforced concrete drains and enlarging smaller concrete drains to widths of between 1.2m and 2.5m.
Works also include clearing about 1.2km of existing drainage outlets, constructing or replacing about 250 culverts and crossovers, and building covered monsoon drains, perimeter drains and sumps within the future Chung Hua Middle School No. 4 compound.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, thanked the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) for allowing a 30-month construction period, explaining that the work had to be carried out around existing houses, water pipes and other utilities.
He said the longer timeline would help minimise disruptions to residents, including interruptions to their water supply, while construction was underway.
Addressing concerns about new housing developments and raised ground levels, Dr Sim said proper surveys were needed to ensure water could flow through the drainage system.
Citing Desa Wira as an example, he said some land there sits below the level of the concrete drains, creating challenges in ensuring water flows away from houses.
“If you have a look at my Desa Wira, you can see that once the concrete drains are built, some of the land is actually below the level of the drains. But you have no choice, because the water needs to run.
“If you make it lower, the front of your house becomes a swimming pool. The water doesn’t run; it just stagnates there, and then it overflows into the house,” he explained.
Asked whether older homes could still be at risk of flash floods after the drainage upgrades, Dr Sim said the concrete drains and enlarged outlets leading to the Sarawak River would help improve water flow.
“No, because the drains are made of concrete. As you saw just now, the drainage outlets leading to the river are also being enlarged. The bigger they are, the more water they can accommodate,” he said.
He then explained the need to provide “rooms for water” to temporarily store excess rainwater, particularly during heavy downpours or when high river levels prevent water from draining away efficiently.
Asked whether older homes could still be at risk of flash floods after the drainage upgrades, Dr Sim said the concrete drains and enlarged outlets leading to the Sarawak River would help improve water flow.
“No, because the drains are made of concrete. As you saw just now, the drainage outlets leading to the river are also being enlarged. As you make it bigger, you have rooms for water,” he said.
He then explained the need to provide “rooms for water” to temporarily store excess rainwater, particularly during heavy downpours or when high river levels prevent water from draining away efficiently.
He cited retention ponds in Batu Kawa, each measuring about five acres and capable of holding the equivalent of 14,000 to 15,000 water tankers of water, as an example of how excess rainwater could be stored.
He also said the Sarawak Urban Stormwater Management (SUStoM) approach, introduced into development requirements around 2016 and 2017, required new developments to retain water before discharging it into the drainage system.
Dr Sim said climate change had made it important to account for heavier rainfall in flood planning. He said the Premier had advocated simulating historical rainfall with an additional 20 per cent to help identify areas at risk of flooding.
Citing Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) as another example, Dr Sim said the hospital had not experienced flooding during the more than 10 years he worked there, but the situation changed after nearby development raised the surrounding ground level, leaving parts of the hospital at a lower elevation.
He said a retention pond was being developed opposite SGH to help address the flooding problem, although the project had faced delays due to the Kuching’s old Nurses’ Quarters heritage issue.
He added that the area’s road connectivity had improved with the completion of a link road and new road access, giving residents alternative routes in and out of the neighbourhood.
The improved connectivity could also open up opportunities to identify additional State land for affordable housing, as the area currently had limited State land available. — DayakDaily
