By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 4: The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) has allocated RM51.5 million under Rolling Plan 1 (RP1) of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) for two major river conservation projects in Sarawak.
According to a TVS news report, Deputy Prime Minister and PETRA minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, said the projects include the conservation of Muara Batang Kemena in Bintulu and Muara Sungai Trusan in Limbang.
“The main scope of these projects involves river deepening works to enhance water flow capacity, particularly during the rainy season,” he stated in response to a question from Senator Abun Sui Anyit in the Dewan Negara today.
Abun Sui had raised concerns about flood mitigation measures to address severe flooding that has submerged homes, particularly in areas such as Sungai Trusan, Sungai Kemena, and Sungai Miri, where river mouths have become increasingly shallow.
Fadillah further informed that PETRA, through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), will submit an additional RM16.6 million funding request under Rolling Plan 2 (RP2) of RMK-13 for the conservation of Muara Sungai Miri, which includes river dredging works.
Additionally, the Sungai Miri Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB) is currently being implemented at a cost of RM31 million, covering areas such as Lutong, Krokop, and Jalan Jee Foh.
“Once completed, this project is expected to protect over 5,000 residents from flood risks and reduce the flood-affected area by 600 hectares,” Fadillah explained.
Physical construction for the project began in October 2023 and has reached 28.16 percent progress. It is expected to be fully completed by January 2026.
TVS further reported that as a short-term measure, DID has undertaken various river conservation works with a total allocation of RM37.8 million from 2022 to 2024.
This funding has been used for 360 small-scale projects, including river channelling, bank stabilisation, and drainage system upgrades to improve river water quality.
An additional RM13.1 million has been allocated this year for similar projects across Sarawak.
Fadillah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritising flood mitigation and river conservation efforts to safeguard the well-being of Sarawakians and ensure the sustainability of the State’s river ecosystems. — DayakDaily
