KUCHING: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will ask for an additional RM300 million from the federal government for Sibu’s flood mitigation project.
However, its minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said, “I will make the request after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announces the Budget 2017. Let’s wait for the announcement.”
The federal government has allocated RM250 million for flood mitigation projects, of which RM100 million is for Sibu and RM150 million for Kuching.
The total bill for the flood-mitigation project in Kuching is estimated to hit RM1.8 billion while the one in Sibu will cost about RM800 million.
Junaidi said the third phase of the flood mitigation project in Sibu will commence next month, while phase two of the flood mitigation project in Kuching is currently undergoing some minor changes.
“There are some changes to drawing plans for the one at Padang Merdeka in Kuching, as that area was taken over by the state government. One of the (project) scopes was taken over by the state, so we need to change the drawings. There will be a slight delay for this one in Kuching. But I will make sure the plans are ready in October,” he said, at the Rumah Mesra Rakyat 1Malaysia event today.
Junaidi said Kuching and Sibu were the cities that needed top priority, being faced with flood problems every year.
“Once the projects are completed, it will benefit no less than 94,000 people in Kuching and 40,000 people in Sibu.”
The Kuching project is expected to be completed by 2025 as it encompasses many areas, while the one in Sibu will be completed earlier.
He said the 8km-project in Kuching will see the building of a diversion canal to drain water from the Sarawak River to Sungai Salak.
The excess water from the catchment area will not flow past the city anymore, but be channeled straight to Sungai Salak and out to sea.
