Brad Rantayy
MIRI, Oct 7: The Sarawak government under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has established a special programme to tackle flood damaged public infrastructure, with an allocation worth RM50 million for next year.
According to Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, the State government under the leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has approved the allocation during the previous State Cabinet meeting for the special programme centred around emergency response work for damaged public insfrastructure Sarawak.
Uggah disclosed this on Friday, after attending a briefing session regarding flood preparations for this division with various government agencies in Miri.
“Previously, we did not have the funds to repair public infrastructure badly damaged by floods, and that is why the State government has set up the programme,” he told the media here today.
On another note, Uggah has also requested the Public Works Department (JKR) to be on standby during the monsoon season, especially flood prone areas in Baram to ensure public infrastructure such as roads, bridges are in good condition, and to always monitor the situation.
On today’s meeting on flood preparedness among various agencies in this division, Uggah expressed his satisfaction with their flood response capabilities.
“I’m very happy with their flood preparedness,” he said.
Uggah added that in Miri division, a total of 48 temporary flood relief centres will be made ready.
There will be 627 temporary relief centres statewide ready in anticipation of the year-end monsoon season.
“For disaster relief storage depots, statewide we have 23 stores to accommodate dry food storage, with eight in Miri and 16 disaster stores at the divisional and district level,” Uggah said.
Also present was Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau. — DayakDaily
