KUCHING, May 11: Special assistant to Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) Chong Chieng Jen, Michael Kong Feng Nian, calls on Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Women chief Kho Teck Wan to use her party position to improve the services of the relevant authorities instead of blaming others for SUPP’s shortcomings.
Kong was responding to Kho’s statement this morning, in which the latter claimed that Sarawak DAP representatives can be seen criticising and actively posting on social media while visiting flooded areas during heavy rain, but have done very little to convey the region’s needs to the relevant authorities.
The SUPP Women chief also claimed that DAP’s recent visit to the Sarawak Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID) to discuss the Kuching flood mitigation project was only attended by Chong’s personal assistants, with no other DAP people’s representatives present.
Kong clarified that the DAP meeting with Sarawak DID on May 9 was set up pursuant to a written request from Chong on behalf of the residents of Happy Valley and Jalan Durian Burung, and that the meeting was scheduled to better understand the current plans for Happy Valley and Jalan Durian Burung only.
“On that same day, YB Chong Chieng Jen was suddenly hospitalised due to dengue fever, and knowing the importance of the issue as well as the difficulty to set up such a meeting, I was tasked by him to lead the meeting with DID Sarawak.
“Joining me were not only my DAP colleagues but also the residents of Happy Valley and Jalan Durian Burung, some of whom are also very knowledgeable in this area.
“It is uncalled for and unbecoming for Kho Teck Wan to belittle the efforts of the residents of Happy Valley and Jalan Durian Burung and my DAP colleagues in trying to understand the flood mitigation initiatives,” he asserted.
He went on to say that Sarawak DID admitted during the meeting that the problems that residents of Happy Valley and Jalan Durian Burung face have been known to the authorities for decades.
He added that due to the gravity of the issue and the urgent need to fix the problem, a sum of RM150 million for the implementation of the Integrated River Basin Development Project (PLSB) was released to Sarawak DID in 2018.
“However, for the past five years, the money has been sitting in DID Sarawak’s coffers idle because the PLSB plans were all scuttered by the constant politicking by Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).”
Kong continued stating that it is on this basis that DAP has been actively highlighting the issues in hopes that the authorities will take immediate action.
Kong further said, “Rather than blaming DAP for the flooding woes in Kuching, Kho Teck Wan should look at her fellow SUPP members and question them for their consistent failure to resolve the issue.” — DayakDaily
