By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Nov 10: The Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) will be tasked to upgrade 17,000 metres of existing drains in Kota Samarahan in phases costing approximately RM20 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing Datu Penguang Manggil said it is part of the solutions to address the flood problem in Kota Samarahan.
He also said the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) is conducting the Flood Mitigation and Drainage Masterplan study of the Samarahan River basin which is expected to be completed by year end to address the frequent flooding issues at Kota Samarahan.
“The findings from the drainage master plan will help to identify the long-term solutions to the frequent flooding at Samarindah Samarahan
“As a long-term solution for solving the flooding problem at Samarahan, there is a need for an integrated land use masterplan or infrastructure plan for planning approval for sustainable development,” he said at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) today when replying to Datuk Amar Mohammad Ali Mahmud (PBB-Stakan) who asked the Local Government and Housing Ministry on long-term measures by the government to address the flood problems in Kota Samarahan including Kg Bukit Berangan and Samarindah Samarahan.
He disclosed that the frequent flooding which happened at the housing area of Kg Bukit Berangan and Samarindah Samarahan were due to a few factors which include exceptional high intensity rainfalls, increased urbanisation, inadequate drainage systems such as scupper drains, roadside drains, outlet drains and streams or due to construction of undersized cupboards, siltation of water waste channels due to uncontrolled earthwork activities and inadequate river stream capacity.
Hence, to mitigate the flood problem in Kg Bukit Berangan and Samarindah Samarahan, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) had included the proposed flood mitigation works at both Jalan Kuching-Samarahan Expressway and at SK Muara Tuang, Samarahan under the Integrated River Basin Development Project in Sarawak River at an estimate cost of RM191 million.
Penguang said the project is expected to be completed in 2025.
In the meantime, Penguang said both DID and MPKS will continue carry out river clearing works at the drainage outlet at Sitigan River at Kg Bukit Berangan and routine drainage clearing work to prevent flooding at the housing area. — DayakDaily
