By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, March 18: The RM150 million Kuching Flood Mitigation Project will be implemented once the Federal government gives the green light on the submitted ‘Notice of Change’.
According to Kuching South City Hall (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, once the Notice of Change is approved, tender for the project, which comprises three separate packages, will be called.
He said Package 1, which involves the Sg Kuap River Basin areas, would include upgrading the drainage systems of SK Muara Tuang, Samarahan, and the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway, and the deepening and widening of Sungai Tabuan, Kuching.
Package 2 mainly covers the Sungai Maong Basin area and will involve upgrading drainage systems at Sarawak General Hospital, Batu Lintang Road, and Federal Government Quarters.
Package 3, which concentrates on Sungai Sarawak and Sungai Tengah Basin, will include Sungai Gersik flood mitigation works, Sungai Sinjan flood works, and the deepening and widening of Sungai Tengah and Sungai Minjap.
Wee updated the latest progress of this project during the 155th ShallWeeTalk, which was streamed live on social media today following widespread flooding in Kuching, where half of the city was affected following heavy downpours within several hours, as shown by the chart on the amount of rainfall between 5am to 11am in various part of Kuching.
“The project was approved in 2018. But due to some political issues, it was postponed. It is federal-funded. All are in place except the last mile, which is the approval of the Notice of Change, following which the project can be tendered,” said Wee.
He said as for the Sarawak government, the fund for land compensation for affected land-owners had been set aside to pave the way for the project.
Wee also took the opportunity to tell some quarters he did not name, not to point fingers whenever such a chance arose but to help solve issues instead.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know about the project and do speak according to your conscience,” said Wee, adding that anyone can meet up with officers from the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and no one should insinuate that Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has been preventing such meetings from happening.
Meanwhile, Wee also challenged these quarters, whom he sometimes called “elected representatives”, to expedite the much-needed proposed projects in the MBKS area so that these projects may be re-looked and approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review.
These projects include the Proposed Flood Mitigation Project at Sungai Maong Kiri, Kuching, and Lembangan Sungai Sarawak, which provides flood mitigation works for Jalan Tong Wei Tah and Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho as well as Proposed Drainage Improvement Works at Taman Happy Valley, Kuching, project.
Citing Jalan Tong Wei Tah, he said he understood the plight of the residents there as flood waters may rise to two to three feet high following incessant rains.
“Let’s all fight for these projects rather than pointing fingers at the Sarawak government if you love Sarawak and a responsible elected YB,” said Wee. — DayakDaily
