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The recent flooding in Penampang and other districts too that caused great damages to properties and businesses owners necessitate a prioritized agenda and direction from the State Government on the State’s flood mitigation plans.
Flood mitigation has always been a priority for the Deputy President, Datuk Darell Leiking more so when his own house at Kg. Kituau, Limbanak was inundated repeatedly with thick mud due to several major floodings in Penampang that occurred within these 5 years including on the 10th of June.
Our DUN Moyog office had identified several possible reasons why flooding is becoming rampant in the district and this include the threat of climate change that causes higher rainfalls and this (threat) was raised up by Datuk Darell in the State Assembly in 2021.
The other possible reason we identified is the construction of Pan Borneo Highway in the district that prevented natural water run-offs to the Moyog River causing water to be trapped since the highway now acts as a dyke or in Malay, ‘batas sawah padi’.
It is interesting to note that the State Minister of Works for Sabah had acknowledged the potential procedural violations and negligence during the construction of Pan Borneo Highway when responding to Datuk Darell’s question in April 2024 whether the Pan Borneo Highway causes flooding or not.
Given the Government’s awareness of the perennial floodings in Penampang, it is frustrating to see Penampang folks having to endure continuos losses by yet another flooding last Sunday and this now raises the question whether GRS and its political allies are actually competent and committed to solve this issue, not only in Penampang but other district as well.
Competency calls for a focused and strong leadership in getting the relevant State’s and Federal’s apparatuses in formulating Sabah’s flood mitigation plans or fundings amd this should be made in transparent manner for the sake of the Sabahans and State’s economy.
Commitment calls for an affirmative action by the Chief Minister and his Cabinet Ministers to make flood mitigation, together the enhancement of infrastructures and utilities, as the State’s main agendas and priorities.
It is rather unfortunate that neither the Chief Minister nor his Cabinet Minister displayed the requisite competency and commitment aforementioned despite being in power for 4 years and their best responses to reporters’ questions whenever major flooding occured in Penampang is the same tired, repetitive assurances on the mitigation plans.
Penampang folks should not be left to endure another round of flooding this year, especially when many are struggling to stay afloat in a weakened State’s domestic economy compounded with rising cost of goods and numerous new taxes being introduced.
We empathise and feel the pain that each and everyone who have been direct and indirect victims of the 30th June 2024 massive Flood in Penampang.
The Government should do as quick as it can to identify the cause of this flood and do the Cleanup of all of Damages and Muds caused by the flood and act on Reducing the next possible flood bearing in mind the unpredictable weather.
I earnestly urge the government to prioritize this matter with the utmost seriousness and take immediate measures to prevent future severe flooding.
End
YONG TAIN VUI
Political Assistant to
the Deputy President of Parti Warisan
