By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 30: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap has challenged Padungan rep Chong Chieng Jen who is also the Stampin MP to come out with half of the RM350 million allocation already approved by the Sarawak government to upgrade drainage for Stampin Resettlement Scheme if Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) sincerely wants to help in resolving the area’s recurring flood problems.
Yap was referring to the call by Michael Kong who is Chong’s special assistant as the Sarawak DAP chairman, for short-term measures to be put in place to resolve flash flooding in Stampin.
“The flash flood in Stampin is a regular occurrence. That’s why we need to get the funding to solve the problem.
“Now, if the opposition really wants to help, we now have a unity government. And as far as drainage is concerned, it is under the concurrent list of the Federal Constitution. What that means is that it is not solely the responsibility of the State government to come out with the development funding but it is also the responsibility of the federal government.
“So I want to challenge MP (Chong) for Stampin of which Kota Sentosa is part of and who was a three-term YB (elected representative) for Kota Sentosa, to come out with half of the approved funding because it is under the concurrent list,” he told reporters in a press conference held at the media room of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here today.
Yap hopes Chong will push the federal government to provide half or RM175 million of the needed funds now that DAP is part of the new federal unity government.
With that, he believes that it will ease the burden of the Sarawak government and furthermore, the unused allocation can be deployed to other areas that would be beneficial to Sarawakians.
“As the ADUN for Kota Sentosa, there are many problems left over. I have just become an ADUN for less than a year but in that short period I have secured RM350 million for the drainage project,” he added. — DayakDaily
