Ting: Flooding could have been avoided if de-silting of drains done

SIBU: Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting believes that some of the constant flooding in Tiong Hua Road could have been avoided if the council had ensured the drains were de-silted.

Speaking at the SMC full council meeting yesterday, he said the flooding was unnecessary and would not have occurred if the contractor had not failed in their duty to clear the drains in the first place.

“My point is, the contractor has failed in their duty; every year, go there and pick up the rubbish.

“What I am sad about is that some of the constant flooding in Tiong Hua Road is unnecessary, but it is our contractor who failed in their duty, and we continue to use them,” he said, adding that this should change.

At the moment, the council is doing the de-silting work at Tiong Hua Road Lane 2.

He said during the inspection on Tuesday, the water started flowing after the mud had been cleared.

He said the drain there was only one foot deep and believed that the silting at the bottom of the drain had occurred for at least 20 years, and there was immediate need to do de-silting work around Tiong Hua Road area to resolve the flash flood issue.

“I would like to see the drain at Tiong Hua Road cleaned up so that at least these people will not get unnecessary flash flood,” he said.

He also believed that the drain was also blocked due to illegal extension.

Thus, he said the council would have to be stricter in enforcement to stop illegal extensions.

Ting also said that the council would double their effort next year on de-silting and clearing up the drains.

He also urged the enforcement team to be stricter and issue compounds next year to members of the public, especially food operators, who throw used cooking oil into the drains.

“Next year, we will make sure that the discharge of grease

My point is, the contractor has failed in their duty; every year, go there and pick up the rubbish.

Clarence Ting

from food operators to be better because there are too many drain clogs in the downtown area.

“Too frequent, the council has to go there and clear the drains, and this is not fair because the mess is made by the food operators.

“So that is why we are going to compound if this thing happens. People said SMC is not working, it is the people who are not cooperative,” he said.

He said he would leave the amount of compound to the enforcement team.