Consult Uggah on Sibu flood mitigation plan before jetting off overseas again, Dr Sim told
SIBU: Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian ought to consult his counterpart Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah on the flood mitigation plan for Sibu before the former embarks on another overseas study tour.
In suggesting this, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said Uggah had come up with an effective master plan to solve Sibu’s flooding woes many years ago when he was the federal minister overlooking the function of the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID).
He said the master plan involved four phases in which Phase 1 and Phase 2 had been implemented, and the project had proven to be very successful.
“I just want to request Dr Sim, before he embarks on the overseas tour to do the study, to consult the deputy premier (Uggah) first because under him (Uggah) before, some 10 years ago, he already had this master plan for flood mitigation in Sibu.
“It is still there, so why not study that? Phase 1 and Phase 2 have already been implemented and proven successful.
“Now look at Phase 3 and Phase 4, whether they can be done or not before he (Dr Sim) embarks on another study tour,” he told reporters after hosting a PSB Chinese New Year luncheon here yesterday.
Wong was responding to Dr Sim’s remarks at an event here Thursday night, that the Sarawak government would send a delegation to visit the Netherlands later this month to learn from the country’s expertise in flood management.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, said the Netherlands government has expressed its intention to provide technical assistance to solve the flood problems in Sibu.
He also said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is concerned about Sibu’s redevelopment and had set aside RM1 billion for this purpose, adding the redevelopment plan would involve a large part of Sibu and also include the construction of a lake.
Meanwhile, touching on the country’s political situation, Wong in his speech earlier said some PSB members had expressed hope that the party would become part of the federal unity government.
While not ruling out such possibility, he said PSB as of now remains an Opposition party and urged members to continue working hard.
“We do not know (if PSB will be part of the unity government). It may or may not happen. But politics in Malaysia has every possibility, anything can happen.
“Who would’ve thought that (Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman) Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would work together?
“No one expected Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Umno would work together when they have been fighting each other for more than half a century.
“So continue to work hard and one day they will view PSB as an indispensible party for the people of Sarawak. There is every possibility that anything can happen. One day you are enemies and another day you are friends,” he said.