Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing expressed deep frustration, lamenting that a relentless downpour has cast a shadow over the Chinese New Year celebrations for his constituents, dampening what should have been a joyous and festive time.
“Many homes were adorned with festive red decorations in anticipation of joyful family reunions.
“However, a relentless downpour has destroyed these homes, causing immense financial losses and forcing families to wait helplessly in relief centres for the floodwaters to recede before returning to scenes of devastation.
“We cannot allow the people of Bintulu to suffer such hardship again,” he said in a statement posted on social media.
Tiong, who is also the tourism, culture and arts minister, stressed that the deepening and widening of Sungai Sibiew and Sungai Kemena must commence without further delay to mitigate the risk of flash floods.
The lawmaker, who was photographed wading through the floods dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, and a raincoat, said while some attribute this catastrophic flood to natural causes, others point to inadequacies in infrastructure.
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“We cannot ignore the possibility that human factors have exacerbated the severity of the flooding. Issues such as flaws in Bintulu’s drainage system have prevented Sungai Sibiew from effectively discharging excess water, causing a rapid surge in river levels.
“The strong currents have further complicated rescue operations, increasing risks for both victims and responders. The worst-affected areas are clearly those surrounding Sungai Sibiew, which is a direct consequence of the long-overdue deepening and widening of the riverbed,” he added.
Long overdue
Tiong pointed out that the riverbed project for Sungai Sibiew has remained a mere proposal for nearly five years, with no actual progress.
“This devastating flood should serve as an urgent warning - relevant agencies must take responsibility.
“I have repeatedly emphasised that the river must be deepened by at least three to five metres and widened to 100m to accommodate increasing rainfall due to climate change. Only by doing so can we prevent such disasters from recurring,” he added.
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Furthermore, Tiong said the riverbed of Sungai Kemena, which connects directly to the sea, must also be deepened.
He added that severe sedimentation has resulted in its gradual shallowing, making it increasingly difficult for boats to navigate.
“During the upcoming meeting at the Resident’s Office on Feb 10, I will again stress the urgency of deepening and widening these two rivers.
“Additionally, I will propose halting the bridge's construction connecting Taman Jason and Taman Kemena Sutera to prevent disruptions to the riverbed works,” he added.
Relocating residents
Tiong said the relocation of residents living in illegal settlements along both riverbanks must also be expedited to facilitate the deepening and widening efforts.
“During the long hours of rescue operations, many stranded residents expressed their concerns to me, stating that the severity of this flood is, in part, due to the inadequacy of local infrastructure.
“The inability of the rivers to accommodate the sheer volume of rainwater has led to this devastating disaster,” he added.
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Earlier, Bernama reported that the number of flood evacuees relocated to temporary relief centres in Sarawak and Sabah has surged to 4,000 as of 8pm yesterday, compared to 1,250 on Wednesday morning.
In Sarawak, 2,981 individuals from 862 families have been housed in 36 relief centres across the state.
The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee Secretariat stated that Serian recorded the highest number of displaced people, with 1,406 individuals from 453 families taking shelter in 15 relief centres.
The other affected areas are Bau, Bintulu, Kuching, Kanowit, Miri, Samarahan, Sebuyau, Selangau, Siburan, Simunjan, Subis, and Tatau. - Mkini
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