KUCHING, Dec 16: Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian has managed to persuade the federal government to allocate RM250 million for flood mitigation projects in Sarawak.
This comes about after Dr Sim, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak director Chok Moi Soon and Sarawak Sewerage Services director Lau Hieng Ung paid a courtesy call on Minister of Land, Water and Natural Resources Dr Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam at the latter’s office in Wisma Sumber Asli, Putrajaya, recently.
According to Dr Sim, drainage and irrigation were under the concurrent (Federal and State Joint Funding) list.
Under the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016 to 2020), DID Sarawak requested for allocations for four main programmes costing RM4.58 billion, and RM608.7 million was approved previously. Among the approved projects included flood mitigation for Kuching and Sibu.
Dr Sim said Xavier agreed to help fund RM250 million out of the RM608.7 million approved.
“We hope the funding will be received soon so that consultants can be appointed and an open tender can be called as these urgent projects are already delayed for this year, causing many sufferings to the residents of Kuching and Sibu,” said Dr Sim in a press statement. — DayakDaily
