Flood-weary Kota Belud folk want solutions
KOTA BELUD: The chairman of Kelab Belia Transformasi Keranjangan (KBTK), Datu Nasrul Datu Mastar claimed that the people of Kota Belud are stressed whenever they hear the rain pitter-pattering on their roofs.
“Each time the rainy season arrives, we are filled with worries and anxieties because it may cause flooding,” he said.
And unfortunately the heavy rain last Saturday, which allegedly lasted for 18 hours, caused flooding in many parts of the district.
He claimed that the MP for Kota Belud, Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis had failed to carry out her responsibility to resolve the flooding issue plaguing the district.
“She should try to find a way to end this problem that has continued to plague the district,” he said.
He added that Isnaraissah who had been the Deputy Energy, Technology, Science and Environment Minister should have gotten the Federal and State governments to implement flood mitigation projects for Kota Belud.
“Until when do we have to continue to live anxiously and worry about the possibility of another flood each time it rains? This is the question asked by the citizens of Kota Belud, including members of our club,” he said in a statement.
He also said that the frequent flooding in Kota Belud had incurred heavy losses to the kampung folk as they have to endure loss of crops, damage to their homes and other facilities.
“We again raised the question after the big flood that occurred in our district last Saturday,” he said.
“We are tired of going through situations like this. We also need to work for our family. The frequent flooding has affected many parts of Kota Belud and many people, not just the members of our club but also the people at large have lost their source of income and even have to incur heavy losses annually,” he said.
He added that the people of Kota Belud were aware that after the earthquake in 2015, the river in the district had become shallower, hence the occurrence of floods.
He said various initiatives and proposals were planned by the previous government, including promises from related agencies but the problem had remained.
He urged Isnaraissah to work with the Warisan Sabah government to solve the problem.