By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, March 20: Allocations for drainage should be increased in preparation for extreme weather such as the excessive rainfall in Kuching last Saturday (March 18).
In stating this, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government, from Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian realised this and had decided that the drainage system in Kuching needed to be relooked at.
“All this rainfall, we need to take into account now—the extra rainfall which has increased 20 per cent (compared to previous years),” said Wee during a visit to inspect the drainage system at Taman Borneo and to hand over the Taman Borneo’s drainage upgrade and repair project to a contractor today.
He said there are three drainage projects in store for Kuching, the first being the RM150 million Kuching Flood Mitigation Project which is pending final approval for implementation.
The other two projects which need urgent attention are the proposed Flood Mitigation Project at Sungai Maong Kiri, Kuching, and Lembangan Sungai Sarawak, which covers flood mitigation works for Jalan Tong Wei Tah and Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho as well as the proposed Drainage Improvement Works at Taman Happy Valley, Kuching.
Wee said the project that the residents are anticipating is the one at Jalan Tong Wei Tah, and he called on Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen from Democratic Action Party (DAP) to fight for the allocation.
“As a mayor, I cannot go to Parliament to fight for this allocation. It rests upon the elected MP to fight for the people,” said Wee. — DayakDaily
