Call on govt to open up new river channel as means to address flood issues in Bintulu

BINTULU (Jan 14): The government should seriously consider opening up a new channel here to disperse water flow and address flooding, instead of continuing to rely solely on the already-overburdened Sungai Sebiew.

In pointing this out, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Bintulu chairman Chiew Chan Yew observed that severe flooding had become increasingly frequent year after year, underscoring the need for the state government to address the root causes of this problem with longer-term, more structural solutions.

He pointed out that current conditions had repeatedly shown that Sungai Sebiew could no longer accommodate additional water coming from the upstream areas, residential zones and ongoing development projects.

“The situation over the past few days has once again highlighted the severity of the problem.

“Even a short period of rainfall, combined with run-off from Jalan Bintulu-Miri, can cause the water levels to rise rapidly and affect a wide area,” he said in a statement yesterday.

According to Chiew, flooding has become more frequent and severe across the Tanjong Batu constituency – home to tens of thousands of households along Sungai Sebiew and its surrounding catchment areas, calling it ‘inescapable shadow over residents’ daily lives’.

“The flooding along Sungai Sebiew and in the coastal areas of Tanjung Batu can no longer be resolved through short stretches of drainage works or minor upgrades to the local systems.

“What Sungai Sebiew is facing now is an excessive concentration of water volume and limited discharge outlets, a structural and systemic crisis that cannot be addressed through piecemeal fixes,” he said.

Chiew also expressed concern that further residential and development projects planned on the opposite side of Jalan Sibiyu would generate even more surface run-off, all of which would eventually flow into the same river.

“Under such a development model, all water is forced towards a single outlet. How can the river not exceed its capacity?” he said, adding that repeated calls to dredge the riverbed had yet to materialise.

“While acknowledging that the dredging of Sungai Sebiew is important, it is a long and complex process, and also, it must not become an excuse for inaction.

“As dredging proceeds, the government must at the same time seriously examine the necessity of opening a new river channel to relieve the immense pressure borne by the stretch of Sungai Sebiew from the fifth-mile area to Kampung Kemunting near Taman Desa Damai,” he said, describing this as a long-term solution that must be considered based on present realities.

Based on interactions with flood victims over the past few days, Chiew said many residents were living with deep psychological trauma caused by years of repeated flooding.

“Even after the rain stops and the sun comes out, the fear of the next downpour remains.

“Once the sky darkens slightly and water begins to pool on the roads, many residents would immediately move their vehicles, fearing they will wake up to find them submerged.

“Flooding brings not only material losses, but also prolonged mental stress and fear.

“Many families have spent lifetime’s savings on or are committed to 20- to 30-year housing loans just to secure a home.

“Yet with every year-end rain, it becomes the most unsettling place of all.”

Chiew said flood mitigation must not be treated as an issue raised only before elections or addressed through short-term measures and publicity-driven projects.

“It concerns people’s safety, family stability and future quality of life.

“If the government continued to rely on fragmented and short-sighted measures, more families would pay an unbearable price,” he said.

The DAP man urged the Sarawak government to demonstrate political will and professional planning by comprehensively re-evaluating Bintulu’s water management system, including the feasibility of new river channels, reconfiguration of drainage outlets and closer coordination between development planning and flood mitigation efforts.

“Only then can Bintulu people truly enjoy a life not dictated by the weather, nor plagued by sleepless nights of fear,” he added.