By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 23: Refusal of affected communities to relocate is the main problem faced by the Sarawak government in addressing flood woes in certain remote areas like Hulu Baram.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the government has identified the higher areas for the local residents and schools to be relocated to.
“However, we are also facing problems where the local folks do not want to relocate because this will affect their livelihood such that they want to reside near the river.
“Thus, it would be difficult for us to relocate them. It’s a social problem, the mindset. But we need to have those who live near the rivers to move to higher places, particularly schools,” he told reporters during his visit to a temporary evacuation centre at Dewan Kampung Bedaun here today.
Elaborating further, Abang Johari said the Sarawak government collaborated with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to relocate schools to higher grounds to prevent flooding.
“Like in the case of SK Ulu Segan in Bintulu. The old school is unsafe as there were reports about sighting of crocodiles so we relocate the school to a higher place. The new school has been completed.
“Hence, for schools, it is a little bit easier (to relocate). But for the longhouses or villages, relocation is a problem due to divided voices of some wanting to relocate while some don’t,” he added.
Also present were Federal Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Dato Sri Nancy Shukri and Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who is the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman. — DayakDaily
