KUCHING, Nov 19: Occupants of Lot 168E, Jalan Stakan in Kota Sentosa here need not worry about waking up in the river in the middle of the night if their houses were to collapse due to riverbank erosion.
Special assistant to Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jeng, Michael Kong said he was pleased to note that the riverbank erosion protection works have been completed following his constant follow-ups with local authorities concerning the matter.
Lot 168E of Jalan Stakan, he explained, sits along the main road of Jalan Stakan and is located right next to a river.
“The main issue for Lot 168E stems from the non-existence of any retaining wall or concrete wall along this riverbank. This has caused the land on which Lot 168E sits to slowly erode,” he said in a statement today.
On Feb 19, river water overflowed onto the banks of Lot 168E because of heavy rain, leading to a massive flash flood affecting many homes within Kota Sentosa.
As a result of the incident, Kong said the fence of Lot 168E along the riverbank fell and a significant portion of the bank eroded away, thus posing a great danger to houses and the lives of people nearby.
Seeing the risks, he said he had alerted Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) regarding the danger of soil erosion and requested for a safer riverbank.
“Perseverance and hard work eventually paid off. I am pleased to note that the riverbank erosion protection works at the said riverbank have been completed. Now the occupants need not have to worry that one day, their home will collapse while they are sleeping,” said Kong. — DayakDaily
