A sum of RM70 million has been allocated under the Tenth Malaysia Plan for the second phase of the Sibu flood mitigation
project.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Douglas Uggah said an appointed consultant was currently studying its design and components.
“The tender is expected to be called this September,” he told a news conference after attending a briefing on the work progress of the first phase, today.
He said among its main components was raising the level of several more roads to act as water levees and the construction of two more flood-water pumping stations.
On the first phase work, Uggah said it was now 67.8 per cent done with only a 0.27 per cent delay due to problems in shifting electricity and telephone line poles belonging to Telekom Malaysia and Sarawak Energy Berhad.
He said the first phase was expected to be completed as scheduled in early February next year.
On plans to dredge Rajang River at its most critical bottlenecks because of sendimentation, he said the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) was still studying the matter.
“The DID is going to implement the first plan costing RM2 million at Pulau Kerto and it is still coming up with the design.
“It has appointed a consortium comprising Dwimula Bina Sdn Bhd, Hock Seng Lee Bhd and Pembinaan Nasional Sdn Bhd for this,” he said, adding that the tender was expected to be called by the middle of this month.
He also said that RM3 million had been allocated to build flood-control gates and improve the drainage system in the Sungai Bidut areas to help vegetable farmers overcome the seasonal floods due to the king tide coupled with
heavy rainfall in the upper reaches of Rajang River.
“All these indicate that the Barisan Nasional government is committed to solving or at least minimising the flood problems faced by the people.
“We are doing what we can according to our capacity and not because we are motivated by any state or general election,” he said.
– Bernama
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