KUCHING, March 28: Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen has requested Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak to take action to solve flood woes at Taman Durian Burung and Happy Valley (Jalan Luis) in Kuching.
In a statement issued today, Chong said residents in the two areas have been plagued with flash floods over the last decade.
“In recent years, due to fast housing and commercial development in the vicinity of the two housing estates and the lack of proper drainage planning, the frequency of flash floods in the area has increased,” said the Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
He said at Happy Valley, the water level will rise up to house doorsteps after only 20 minutes of heavy rain, and the houses at Taman Durian also suffer the same fate after half-an-hour of heavy rain.
Chong, who is also Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman, said according to residents’ observation, the excess rainwater at Happy Valley discharges into Sungai Tabuan while the excess rainwater at Taman Durian Burung discharges into Sungai Maong through the main culvert running across and beneath Jalan Tun Jugah.
“This culvert running across (Jalan Tun) Jugah is only 2.5m in diameter and was constructed in the 1970s. As the discharge points were constructed decades ago, the discharge rate of rainwater through these discharge points can no longer cater to the present rainfall, especially given that many of the previous natural water retention areas have now been developed into housing or commercial estates.
“The problem is made worse when the drains are not regularly cleared, thus having debris and rubbish partially blocking the drains and slowing down the rainwater discharge rate,” he said.
Therefore, Chong said following a meeting with the residents from both areas, he had written to DID Sarawak to widen the discharge point and deepen Tabuan River, and to MBKS to clear the drains and waterway.
“Instead of waiting in vain for the ambitious billion-ringgit Kuching City flood mitigation project allocations repeatedly mentioned by the government, the widening of the present discharge points for the two areas will not require huge funding and can be implemented quickly,” he said.
He also welcomed MBKS and DID Sarawak to provide an alternative proposal if the suggestions were not viable.
Chong’s letters were handed over to the authorities on his behalf by his special assistant, Sim Kiat Leng, as Chong was attending a Parliament sitting. — DayakDaily
