Over RM600 mln allocated to mitigate floods in Sabah

A total of RM632.95 million was allocated for flood mitigation in several districts in Sabah under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), said Sabah Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Junz Wong.

He said RM96.70 million was allocated to implement projects involving the upgrading of existing drainage systems and river deepening in Kota Kinabalu and Sepanggar; RM365.50 million in Penampang ; RM50.75 million in Putatan and RM70 million in Kota Belud;

“In addition, RM50 million is allocated for the upgrading of Sungai Rakis, the outlet to Tawau river mouth and the expansion of Jalan Apas bridge project, which is in the tender management stage.

The remaining provisions will be requested in the 12MP,” he told the Sabah state legislative assembly sitting here yesterday.

Replying to a question from Tan Lee Fatt (DAPLikas), he, however, said the implementation was subject to the state and federal financial capability.

Meanwhile when debating on the Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin’s address, Kemabong assemblyman Jamawi Jaafar suggested that the government set up a special committee to address the issue of the cabotage policy in Sabah to ease the burden of the people.

He said the previous government had promised to abolish the policy but it had yet to be implemented up till now.

Jamawi also urged the government through the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism to actively and continuously monitor stubborn traders who still reaped profits by maintaining the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“The people are grateful that the GST is abolished but they are still burdened because of the unscrupulous acts of these handful of traders,” he said, adding that the government’s effort to standardise prices of various food items was a positive move and needed to be intensified.