SIBU: Sibu has experienced three floods this year, with the latest one severely affecting several towns.
Sibu MP Oscar Ling Chai Yew has urged the Sarawak government to conduct a detailed study on the key factors causing floods in the Rajang River Basin and implement targeted solutions.
“The current flood control plan in Sibu only covers the town centre and does not include the outskirts, particularly the west bank and Salim areas.
“The scope of flood mitigation efforts is still insufficient. If the government truly intends to transform Sibu into “Amsterdam”, the flood control plan must be expanded,” he said on Tuesday (March 25).
Ling also urged the Sarawak government to address the issue of Rajang River flooding.
Based on recent flood incidents, he suggested that the state government take a serious look at upstream development and deforestation, as well as clear the bottleneck sections of the river.
He also highlighted that excessive upstream development has led to long-term sedimentation problems in the Rajang River.
“To solve Sibu’s flood issues, these key factors cannot be ignored. Therefore, regular and systematic dredging of the riverbed is an urgent necessity.”
Ling called on the state government to open up sand dredging permits and establish a collaborative system with sand dredging companies.
He proposed a win-win strategy where companies can harvest sand for free in exchange for their assistance in clearing the bottlenecks of the river.
He believed this would be a more sustainable and feasible operational model in the long run.
Stressing that dredging the Rajang River should not be a one-time project, he suggested that It must be conducted regularly over the long term to be effective.
If dredging is only done once, he foresees sediment will quickly accumulate again within months as past experiences have shown that one-time dredging does not achieve the desired long-term effects.
Ling also noted that given the current flood situation in Sibu, the flood control plan should not be limited to just the five-phase project.
He stated that more attention must be given to the conservation of the Rajang River, including controlling upstream development and regularly clearing the river.
Believing that the concept of “sponge city” construction should be the future direction of Sibu’s infrastructure development, he pointed out that by implementing this approach, the flood issues in Sibu can be effectively mitigated.
Furthermore, Ling expressed disappointment over the severe flooding in Sibu, stating that the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC)and the rural councils appeared to be “absent” in handling the disaster.
He noted that in disaster-stricken areas under their jurisdiction, such as the west bank, Apollo, and Jalan Ling Kai Cheng, there was no sign of municipal or rural council personnel setting up red-and-white warning barriers.
Many roads, according to him, were submerged, making it difficult to distinguish between roads and drains.
Asserting that the SMC should always be prepared for flood prevention, and that as soon as a flood occurs, council personnel should immediately put up warning barriers on flooded roads to prevent accidents where vehicles mistakenly drive into drains.
“On the night of the March 24, I have visited residents affected by the landslide in Rantau Panjang to understand their current situation.
“DAP will continue to voice and urge the state government to expedite the disbursement of disaster relief funds to address the dangerous road and slope collapse in the area as soon as possible,” Ling added.
