By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, May 30: The reconstruction of homes destroyed in the devastating landslide at Kampung Lereng Bukit, Miri, earlier this year will begin after the Gawai celebration, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Patinggi Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The landslide, which occurred on Jan 29, impacted 277 residents and left all 14 houses in ruins, prompting urgent calls for government intervention.
“Due to the urgency of certain projects—such as the total destruction of 15 houses in Miri—we have agreed for the rebuilding to proceed after the Gawai celebration, as the land has already been secured and resolved.
“We have also agreed to delegate the implementation authority to Sarawak government agencies, and no longer rely on Felcra Bina Sdn Bhd or GiatMARA to carry it out,” he said at a press conference after a high-level coordination meeting on rural development projects in Sarawak today. An audio recording of the press conference was made available to DayakDaily after the event.
Also present during the press conference were Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian and Sarawak Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi.
Zahid, who also serves as the Federal Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the reconstruction site has been identified near Bukit Kanada by the Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA).
This reconstruction effort is part of a broader initiative by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) to expedite the implementation of “sick” or delayed projects under the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12), particularly in Sarawak.
The landslide tragedy claimed five lives, including a 17-year-old boy, a woman, and three girls aged between 14 and 71. It was the fourth landslide to strike Kampung Lereng Bukit in over four decades.
The first recorded landslide occurred in 1981, 43 years before the latest tragedy. The second incident struck in 2009, followed by another landslide just a week later. – DayakDaily
