By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 13: A total of RM300,000 has been approved under the 2024 Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) of Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap to upgrade critical drainage infrastructure in Kampung Stutong Iban, BDC — a long-overdue measure to address worsening flash floods and prevent further erosion.
According to a press release, Yap announced that the Premier’s Office has approved his 2024 RTP application to utilise the allocation to upgrade the existing earth drains.
“The village development committee, headed by TR Duris Likau, had earlier approached Yap to express their concerns over flash flooding in the village, as erosion of the earth drains was worsening and in danger of total collapse.
“Despite the growing number of residents moving into the BDC Stutong area through new housing developments, the village’s earth drains have not been upgraded in the past 20 years.
“Upon hearing the concerns of the village development committee and local residents, Yap immediately applied to allocate RM300,000 under Phase 1 of his RTP to address the predicament faced by the community,” the press release stated.
This morning, Yap and officers from the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), the appointed implementing agency, visited the site for the RM300,000 RTP 2024 drainage upgrading project to replace earth drains with concrete ones in critical areas to improve water discharge and prevent soil erosion.
The visit, coordinated by Yap’s service centre and the village committee, was aimed at identifying the critical flash flood areas for the implementation of the drainage upgrading works.
“During the visit, Yap urged DID officers to expedite the design and specifications for the drainage upgrading works, so that the project can commence and be completed as soon as possible to mitigate the inconveniences caused by flash flooding.
“He will also coordinate closely with DID to ensure there are no delays in the implementation of this RTP 2024 project.
“Additional RTP drainage upgrading projects are expected in Kampung Stutong Iban, BDC in the near future, based on urgency and implemented in phases to ensure the adequacy of annual RTP funding,” it said. — DayakDaily
