MIRI, August 3: Several low-lying areas here were hit by flash floods because of incessant, heavy rain the last two nights coupled with a below-par drainage system.
While Miri City Council (MMC) could not do anything about the rain, it has identified the areas where the drainage system needs to be improved, but there is one problem — money, or rather the lack of it.
When met this morning after a meet-the-people session at Krokop Lorong 5, Miri mayor Adam Yii said personnel from MCC, Land and Survey Department, Department of Drainage and Irrigation, and Public Works Department (JKR) held a meeting yesterday, and they identified Taman Tunku, Tanjong Lobang and Eco Park, Jalan Airport as “flood prone” areas.
“We have to improve our drainage system,” Yii said, “(But) we have funding issues to build or further improve the drainage in these areas. There are also land issues, so some projects have not been carried out.
“Before GE14 (the 14th general election on May 9), we have several budgets approved (for this purpose) but they were cancelled after GE14 by the federal government.”
On the illegal structures in Taman Tunku, Yii said his office had instructed that they are taken down. Most of these structures were built by factories.
Meanwhile, during the gathering at Krokop Lorong 5, MCC received 23 complaints and requests from the residents concerning the following issues: garbage, drainage, traffic lights and cleanliness. — DayakDaily
