KUCHING, March 25: The Sarawak Government is prepared to allocate funds to build a drainage system for flood-prone Kampung Sinar Budi at Batu Kawah.
Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian agreed the current drainage system in the village cannot cope with the heavy downpour that continues to increase.
“The weather has changed, and it is more extreme. The rainfall is more than 20 per cent than before.
“Before, a small drainage system would be sufficient, but now it cannot cope. If the issue is not overcome, the area will be affected by the flood,” he said.
Dr Sim, who is also assemblyman for Batu Kawah, said this in his speech at the ‘Program Gerak Rahmah Pengagihan Bubur Lambuk’ at Kampung Sinar Budi Baru, as reported by TVS today.
He further explained that a discussion with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) had been carried out on how to overcome the issue of flood in the city.
“The allocation does not have to be from the federal government as it is a large sum and needs a long time to be approved.
“I have discussed with DID, and the department would build a few projects here first (Kampung Sinar Budi Baru).
“The Premier of Sarawak said that he will be giving an allocation, and we do not need federal funds that could take a long time to be approved as the cost needed is big,” he explained.
Earlier, 148 victims from 31 families from Kampung Sinar Budi Baru were placed at a temporary evacuation centre after a flash flood on March 18. — DayakDaily
