RM400 mln needed to resolve flooding in Putatan
KOTA KINABALU: Another RM400 million would be needed to resolve the flooding problem in Putatan, Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Hamim Samuri said.
Speaking to reporters after on an inspection visit to areas in Putatan which were affected by floods, Hamim said that the estimation was made by the State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) which had conducted a detailed study on the problem.
He added that the total solution to the flood mitigation plans for Putatan included state and federal funded projects that would see improvement of drainage in the district as well as in Penampang and upgrading of rivers in the two districts.
“Part of the solution are these projects but this only involves river and the urban monsoon drains, it does not involve the drains at the housing estate as these are under the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry.
“Why I mention this is that we need RM40 billion to resolve the flooding problem in the whole of Malaysia. The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry has allocated RM9 billion to solve the flood issue at the housing areas.
“For Putatan, some state and federal allocated projects have been completed and the allocations from the federal government for the flood mitigation plans in two areas have just been approved,” he said, adding that the State DID was calling for tenders for projects which will close on January 3, 2017. The two projects, he said, would be implemented next year under the 11th Malaysia Plan’s Rolling Plan Two.
State DID director Yahiya Awang Kahar said that the ongoing and completed projects included dredging and widening the rivers as well as rehabilitation works.
“This is starting from Moyog River all the way to Petagas and Putatan rivers although most of the work will be in Putatan River,” he said, adding that once the issue along Putatan River was resolved, it would ease the flooding problem in the upper stream areas.
The flood mitigation project had been divided into three packages with package one starting on Nov 21 and would take three years to complete, he said, adding that the tender for package three would be closed on January 3, 2017 while package two (under Lido) was still under design.
Package one, he disclosed would be from Kampung Kibabaig Penampang up to Kampung Tunoh where Moyog River joins with Petagas River. This one was to resolve the flooding in Penampang, especially Kampung Kibabaig, he said and added that the river that would go through the village would be serviced.
Hamim added that the ministry was unable to allocate the funds needed in one lump sum, it has to be done progressively under the future Malaysia Plans.
“We welcome any innovation approach or solution to solve the river problem especially the dredging, the clearing of the sand and overgrowth. Maybe the state DID can refer to Pahang where the government has signed an agreement with a concessionaire to clear the sand and sell it. Next will be Kelantan.
“This will be a win-win situation for all,” he said.
Yahiyah also announced that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman is expected to officiate at the ground breaking ceremony for a flood mitigation project on February 27, next year.
He said the project was part of the total solution that would be implemented in Putatan.
“The project costs RM281 million and its scope of work includes upgrading the Moyog and Putatan rivers, construction of a bridge, flood flow structure and land compensation,” he said.
Named the ‘Pembangunan Lembangan Sungai Bersepadu Sungai Moyog’, the ground breaking ceremony would take place near Servay Putatan, he said.
Meanwhile, Putatan member of parliament Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh who was with Yahiya, had accompanied Hamim on the inspection visit. Mojigoh said that development was among the contributing factors to occurrence of floods in Putatan.
“Also the Putatan, Moyog and Petagas rivers are getting shallower due to siltation because of hill cutting and land reclamation. Moyog River is not even navigable now. We want the federal government to look into it so that the river can be rehabilitated to its original state. There are also overgrowth along the river banks making the river narrower.
“We visited Kuala Petagas and saw the huge islands of sand at the mouth of the river. That needs to be dredged. The important thing is to rehabilitate the river from Dambai so that the water can flow smoothly to the river mouth,” he said.