By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 8: Poor drainage has been identified as the primary cause of road damage in Sarawak, leading to issues such as subsidence, potholes, and erosion, said Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak director Dr Cassidy Morris.
In a TVS news report, he stressed that JKR Sarawak will prioritise the management and improvement of road drainage systems, including upgrades to existing drains and culverts, as part of efforts to address these persistent issues.
“Effective control of rainwater drainage on roads is critically important at this time. We must ensure our roads remain free from drainage-related problems.
“A well-managed and properly designed drainage system is essential to maintaining the structural integrity and long-term stability of our roads,” he said during his keynote address at the Technical Seminar on “Improving Flood Control in Stormwater Drainage Systems for Sarawak: Current Status, Challenges and Capabilities”, held at a hotel here today.
Also present at the seminar was deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Desmond Douglas Jerukan.
Cassidy also highlighted the department’s commitment to adhering to technical standards and design criteria for drainage systems based on both national and international references, including those adopted by JKR Malaysia, the Road Engineering Association of Malaysia (REAM), and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).
The seminar was organised by the Technological Association Malaysia (TAM) Sarawak branch in collaboration with BIMAGE Consulting (M) Sdn Bhd.
As Sarawak continues to urbanise and face increasing impacts of extreme weather events, the need for resilient and data-driven flood management systems has become a critical priority.
The technical seminar broiught together key stakeholders from regulatory agencies, industry, academia, professional associations, and technology providers to discuss Sarawak’s flood control and sewer infrastructure.
It also explore technical and policy challenges, and examine how digital infrastructure, through simulation modelling, live analytics, and BIM integration, can enhance water infrastructure planning and management. — DayakDaily
