By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 10: The alarming issue of coastal erosion at Lutong Beach in Miri has taken centre stage following the recent floods, prompting urgent mitigation efforts.
According to a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) news report, the concern was highlighted during the Media Conference and Coordination Meeting on the Control of Lutong Beach Erosion, held today at the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department office in Miri.
The session was attended by Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, who also serves as the minister responsible for the Miri Disaster Management Committee (MDMC).
Lee expressed growing concern over the worsening erosion, which has led to seawater encroaching onto the main road and posing a threat to nearby residential areas, including Bayshore Park and Bayshore Villa Park.
“As an immediate measure, MDMC has proposed temporary measures to address the erosion, while waiting for the coastal erosion mitigation project that has been approved with an allocation of RM45 million to be implemented.
“The project is currently in the tender evaluation process by the federal government with a design and build concept,” he was quoted as saying.
In the meantime, local company Shin Yang has stepped in to assist through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative by constructing a temporary coastal retaining wall using rock piles.
Lee said the temporary structure is aimed at protecting the beach, nearby roads, and surrounding residential areas from further erosion.
“Shin Yang not only supplied its own rocks but also contributed manpower and machinery at no cost to the government.
“However, it should be noted that the rocks still belong to Shin Yang and may be removed once the actual project begins,” he explained.
To date, 350 metres of temporary coastal protection work has been completed and is expected to be fully finished within a week.
Meanwhile, the planned long-term mitigation project will include several key components, such as the restoration of a 100-metre stretch of beach, the construction of a stone wall, the development of a sea discharge system, the building of earth embankments and tidal control gates, as well as the construction of breakwaters along the coastline.
The project is expected to take three years to complete once a contractor has been appointed. — DayakDaily
