Penampang DO warns against illegal earthworks
In the wake of widespread flooding over the past one week, Penampang District Officer Luvita Koisun has warned landowners doing illegal earthworks to stop their ac vi es or risk the consequences of their ac on.
KOTA KINABALU: Penampang District Officer Luvita Koisun has warned landowners doing illegal earthworks to stop their activities or risk the consequences of their action.
Luvita said this during an emergency meeting with community leaders, Penampang District Council members as well as representatives from government departments and agencies to discuss the flooding problem in the district, on Monday.
“Stern action will be taken against landowners who perform illegal earthwork activities, especially during this rainy season, without proper approval from the authority,” she said, adding that she would work together with the Public Works Department (PWD), Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and Lands and Surveys Department (LSD) for a better long-term solution to the existing problem.
Amongst those present at the meeting were Datuk Donald Mojuntin, chairman of Barisan Nasional Penampang; Datuk John Ambrose, chairman of Umno Penampang Division; and Datuk Francis Goh, chairman of MCA Penampang Division;.
During the meeting a representative from DID Penampang, said the overall RM730 million Flood Mitigation Scheme, although it had been implemented, was scheduled for completion only within the next three and half years.
“This scheme takes time and comes in a few phases to improve and upgrade the Moyog River in Penampang, Lido and Manggatal. Currently, the improvement scheme in Penampang involves Sg Moyog Package 1 (RM51.8 million), Sg Moyog Package 3 (RM131 million), RTB Sg Kibabaig (RM9 million), RMB Sg Sugud Phase 1 (RM7 million), RMB Sg Sugud Phase 2 (RM7 million) and RTB Lido (RM76 million),” he said.
However, the scheme is being challenged on issues pertaining to land acquisitions, site adaptations and accessibilities, and local engineering matters, he said and pointed out that the existing drainage system was not built to withstand such large volume of water from the unexpected heavy downpour for the past few days, thus resulted in flash floods around the state capital and in the Penampang area.
Moreover, the rainfall data in the past few days has shown to be extreme and abnormal, he said.
Luvita also urged her technical departmental officers, and respective PPMs, JKKK, JKDBs to be vigilant and to conduct field inspections and to work closely with the relevant government machinery, road and drainage maintenance contractors and the private sector in monitoring and tackling these urgent issues.
On the same note, she requested DID to impose a strict periodic drainage maintenance schedule and further instructed her technical officer to monitor and witness the drainage maintenance from time to time in ensuring the work is being carried out in a satisfactory manner.
She proposed immediate assistance to the situations such as providing temporary protection canvas for the failed slopes, clearing of blocked drainages, cutting and removing of collapsed trees, earth and properties, strutting and supporting of unsafe structures, to name some.
She also suggested a ‘stand by’ fund to mitigate the problem of hill slope landslide erosion caused by the heavy rainfall.
“We will continue to do what is necessary to help those who have been impacted by the extraordinary weather event that is causing the flash floods,” said Luvita.
She also urged parents to be watchful over their children not to allow them to play in the flood, and members of the public to contact the Penampang District natural disaster operation room at 088-726054 or the secretariat at 016-8260273 for assistance or information on any issues relating to the floods.