Sarawak seeks federal help to fix flood damage

KUCHING: Sarawak is turning to the Federal Government for financial assistance in repairing its road system and other infrastructure which were damaged by flood.

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing told The Borneo Post yesterday he was optimistic that the Federal Government will assist the State as it did to Terengganu, Kelantan and Johor when these states were affected by flood.

“I believed the Federal Government will assist Sarawak in repairing the roads which has been badly affected by the flood that has wreaked havoc throughout the state. And not only that, the settlements along the coastal areas were also badly affected including their livelihood such as their paddy fields.

“So we hoped that the Federal Government will assist us like it did to Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor when they were affected by flood before this.”

Masing disclosed that the amount needed to repair the road and other infrastructure damaged by the flood would easily reach a few hundred million ringgit.

“I’m sure it reached that amount because many of our roads and other infrastructure are badly affected.”

Masing said the current flood situation in Sarawak could be the worst in the past 50 years.

“The flood this time is so bad like it never happened before. In Selangau for instance, the flood even reached the roof top of many longhouses. So the damage created by the flood is very extensive,” he said.

He said that his ministry will convene a meeting when the flood subside to assess the damages to the roads and other infrastructure in the state.

Masing also said he will brief the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on the aftermath of flood to the infrastructure in Sarawak today after Najib officiated at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s convention at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.