By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Feb 21: Dudong assemblyman Dato Sri Tiong King Sing has called for more concrete and comprehensive plans from the Sibu Water Board (SWB) and Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) to tackle flood and water shortage issues in Sibu.
In a Facebook post yesterday (Feb 20), Tiong said he attended a Sibu Divisional Development Committee (DDC) meeting where he stressed the two issues.
“For decades, floods have plagued the people in Sibu. Don’t say that Sibu is a swamp area because it is not.
“I grew up here; I know how it really is. Sibu lacks an effective drainage system, causing water to accumulate in the soil with no way out and making it soft. Don’t blame geography—look for solutions,” he said in his post.
Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP, said he was aware of the RM15 million dredging project for Sungai Seduan but questioned if it was enough and called for more comprehensive planning.
Touching on water supply, he said a complaint was made in 2022, but until now, the water supply in the area remains unstable.
Unsatisfied with the answer given by the officer—which involved carrying out inspections and waiting for the project to begin—Tiong said although pipes were already installed, water pressure was insufficient, and if it was forced, it risked breaking the pipe.
“This problem occurs nearly every day at the Ulu Durin, Jalan KJD, Batu Wong, Sungai Pak, and Sungai Rongan areas. Only one lorry is deployed, and even that went on for weeks without sufficient supply—some even go for months,” he said.
The Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister then questioned the SWB and JBALB on their plans to address the problems with concrete and comprehensive long-term solutions instead of just temporary ones.
“I don’t want to see the people suffer. We need comprehensive solutions, not temporary ones that solve only part of the problem.
“I urge the relevant agencies and departments to come up with a complete plan as soon as possible and implement immediate action,” he said. — DayakDaily
