By DayakDaily Team
BINTULU, Nov 1: Bintulu’s main drainage system needs serious attention and comprehensive upgrading to address recurring flash floods, particularly when heavy rainfall coincides with high tides.
Resident Joseph Tie said localised drain upgrades would not be enough if the main drainage system continued to face problems such as obstructed water flow or backflow caused by high tides.
He said his home had been experiencing water overflow since 2015, but the situation worsened between 2022 and 2025, when rainwater frequently overflowed into his house whenever heavy rain coincided with high tides.
“The drain in front of my house was previously upgraded, with its width increased from 320 millimetres to 930 millimetres, while its depth was increased from 340 millimetres to 850 millimetres.
“However, yesterday’s flooding incident has shown that enlarging individual drains in specific areas is no longer sufficient.
“When the main drainage system is obstructed or experiences backflow due to high tides, even wider and deeper drains remain at risk of overflowing,” he told the media on Saturday (Oct 31) in a TVS news report.
In this regard, Tie hoped the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) would pay serious attention to maintaining drainage infrastructure and formulate an integrated action plan to address flooding comprehensively.
Meanwhile, incumbent Tanjong Batu assemblyman Johnny Pang Leong Mong urged BDA and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to conduct comprehensive inspections in areas prone to recurring floods.
He said the inspections should cover the condition of drainage systems, water outlets, drainage capacity, possible obstructions, and the effects of high tides on water flow.
He added that completed and ongoing drainage projects should also be reassessed to ensure they effectively reduce flood risks.
“Just because the water has receded does not mean the problem has been resolved.
“As long as residents continue to face water overflow, we have a responsibility to keep identifying the causes, assessing weaknesses and pursuing improvements,” he said.
Pang said the issue would continue to be raised with the relevant authorities to seek clarification and ensure improvements to the drainage system were implemented, particularly in flood-prone areas.
He stressed that Bintulu’s flooding problem requires continuous attention and long-term solutions to safeguard residents’ safety and well-being. — DayakDaily
