By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 29: The long-awaited RM150 million Sungai Sarawak Integrated River Basin Development Project (PLSB) will begin soon when the Sarawak Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) calls for tenders early next month (November 2023).
Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Women chief Kho Teck Wan said two of the project sites are located at Sungai Tabuan and Federal Quarters near Jalan Durian Burung here.
“The 1,240-metre Tabuan River along Vivacity Mega Mall and Milan Square will be dredged with 15-metre base width. The 400-metre river behind Satria Residence and near Kampung Tabuan Dayak will also be dredged with base width of 15 metres.
“This project is estimated to be completed in two years and expected to resolve flash flood issues along Jalan Tabuan Dayak, Lorong Tabuan Dayak 10, 10A and 12, and SK Tabuan Jaya,” she said in a statement recently.
For Jalan Durian Burung, she said a 1-acre detention pond, three reinforced concrete drains totalling 445 metres in length and culverts were proposed for flood mitigation. This project will also take about two years.
Kho had joined Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How and Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap to visit the two project sites yesterday (Oct 28).
During their visits, DID Sarawak deputy director Law Wee and his team of DID engineers together with the project consultant briefed them on the project design.
At the same time, Kho stated that as of May 2023, DID Sarawak had only received RM6.9 million to pay for land acquisition at Batu Lintang out of the RM150 million allocated to the PLSB Sungai Sarawak project.
She also thanked Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian and his team for making a work visit to Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad which prompted the minister to follow up with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to expedite the necessary processes.
The PLSB Sungai Sarawak project was approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan with a ceiling cost of RM150 million, to address longstanding flood issues in Kuching and Samarahan.
However, the project was placed under review by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government after the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018. After much delay, the project was given the green light to resume in 2020.
The project encompasses nine sub-projects, namely drainage upgrade at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), drainage upgrade at the government quarters at Jalan Tun Jugah, flood barriers at Sg Gersik, flood barriers at Sg Sinjan, dredging and deepening of Sungai Tabuan, drainage upgrade at Jalan Batu Lintang, drainage upgrade at SK Muara Tuang, drainage upgrade along Jalan Kuching-Samarahan Expressway, as well as dredging and deepening of Sungai Tengah and Sungai Minjap, Matang. — DayakDaily
