Residents fear flash floods in Stampin Barat area as king tide approaches

KUCHING (Jan 13): A resident living in the low-lying Lorong Stampin Barat 4A area has voiced growing anxiety over the risk of flash floods should heavy rain coincide with the king tide expected from Jan 17 to 21.

The resident, speaking on condition of anonymity and representing her neighbours, said unresolved drainage issues have left the area vulnerable despite repeated complaints to the authorities, particularly the Kuching South City Council (MBKS).

She explained Lorong Stampin Barat 4A is also located behind the flood-prone Iris Garden area, compounding the issues at hand.

She said even one hour of continuous heavy rain is enough to cause the monsoon drain to overflow, spilling water onto nearby roads.

“If heavy rain persists for two hours, floodwaters would begin entering most houses in the area.

“The water rises very fast. After two hours of heavy rain, it would already reach my door. This has become very stressful,” the resident told The Borneo Post.

She added that she prays daily for the rain not to be too heavy, especially with the upcoming king tide.

According to her, the floods are not caused by small roadside drains, but by poorly maintained monsoon drains, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).

“These large concrete drains are clogged with overgrown grass, bushes and possible debris, slowing down water flow during intense rainfall.

“The small drains are cleared by the city council, but all that water flows into the monsoon drain. When that drain is full and blocked, where does the water go?” the resident asked.

She cited the night of Dec 31, 2025, when about an hour of very heavy rain caused roads in the area to flood.

Although the water receded relatively quickly when the rain slowed to a drizzle, she believe this was due to the rainfall easing rather than any improvement in drainage capacity.

The flooding not only affects Lorong Stampin Barat 4 but also that of 4A and 4A1 – areas situated between Iris Garden and Taman Hui Sing.

“Residents here also questioned whether it was appropriate for a commercial building extension to be constructed over a monsoon drain, expressing concern that debris beneath the structure could further obstruct water flow,” she said.

Despite sending photos and complaints to MBKS, she said only the smaller drains were cleared.

In earlier complaints, they were informed that monsoon drains fall under DID’s responsibility, she added.

“There has been no lasting relief because the root cause has not been addressed,” the resident said, calling on engineers from both MBKS and DID to clearly identify and resolve the source of recurring flash floods.

She urged authorities to carry out comprehensive cleaning of monsoon drains, including the removal of vegetation and debris, and to ensure maintenance is done along the entire drainage route to where the water is supposed to discharge.

Meanwhile, Kuching South mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng, when contacted, said he is seeking detailed input from the council’s Engineering Department and that a project proposal may be submitted under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) to address drainage and flooding issues.

However, the resident remains concerned that without immediate intervention, the neighbourhood could once again be hit by floods, particularly if heavy rainfall coincides with the upcoming king tide.

“We may still be flooded. That is our biggest fear.”