Rivers to be deepened to resolve flooding in Kota Belud
KOTA KINABALU: The government is doing its best to resolve the flooding problem in Kota Belud, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said.
Abdul Rahman who is also Kota Belud member of parliament, said one of the steps taken by the government was to deepen the rivers in the district.
“This is because most of the river beds in Kota Belud are shallow due to heavy siltation,” he said after inspecting the work on Sungai Tempasuk in Kampung Bobot yesterday.
Abdul Rahman explained that most of the rivers in Kota Belud originate from the foot of Mount Kinabalu.
“As a result of the earthquake debris, rocks and soil flowed down rivers resulting in the riverbed downstream becoming shallow and clogged by siltation. As this situation has affected the river flow, it resulted in floods occurring more frequently in Kota Belud,” he lamented.
According to him, the deepening of Sungai Tempasuk is a flood mitigation measure for Kota Belud and the overall cost for the remedial measures in the district will cost more than RM50 million.
“We sympathise with those residing along the river banks and the challenges they face every time it rains. The government is doing its best to resolve the problem. I therefore urge the rakyat there to be patient,” he said.
Abdul Rahman also visited the site of the proposed Politeknik Kota Belud in Kampung Kesapang.
He told reporters this that the area had been earmarked to be the site for a second township in Kota Belud.
“There is a need for a higher learning institute in Kota Belud and this polytechnic is expected to be completed in 2021,” he said, adding that this was the government’s effort to develop infrastructure and high quality educational facilities for the young in Kota Belud.
The land acquisition is being carried out now and construction, once it starts, is expected to be completed within two to three years.
He disclosed that the initial intake would be about 500 students but the polytechnic was built to cater for more in the future.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman also said that more than 69 per cent of residents in Kota Belud were enjoying treated water supply and the situation in the district had improved tremendously.