RM33 million drainage project to reduce flooding at Kg Jeriah

Dr Annuar (second left) participates in a dialogue with residents affected by the flood.

SIBU, Jan 21: Kampung Jeriah’s Lorong 2B and 8 residents can finally heave a sigh of relief as the authority has plans to overcome the area’s perennial flood problem.

Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation, and Talent Development, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said among them is the drainage improvement works project costing RM33 million which will divert rainwater from flowing into Kampung Jeriah and eventually reducing flash flooding.

“The RM33 million State-funded project has already been approved under the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan.

“I have been informed by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sibu divisional engineer, Rudi Abang Zamhari, that RM2 million has been approved this year for the project’s planning and design stage.

“After this stage, we will apply for approval of the RM31 million balance to implement the project,” he said today.

Dr Annuar has earlier attended a dialogue session with the residents to update them with the news.

He also revealed that for Lorong 2B, three measures will be taken involving raising the road, building a retaining wall, and building a new drain from Lorong 2B, which will be connected to the main drain.

“For the new drain, it will be implemented if the landowner gives consent for the drain to pass through his land. We are working on it,” he said.

As for the residents of three houses at Jeriah 8, Dr Annuar has proposed that the extended families staying on the ground floor be given a land lot to build houses at other locations.

Dr Annuar also dismissed claims that the government was doing nothing to solve the long-standing issue.

“We previously spent RM20 million to improve the drainage system in Kampung Jeriah but were not able to address the flooding issue entirely.”

He said that he understood the difficulties faced by the affected villagers. However, he stressed that flood mitigation measures cannot be done overnight.

“I am aware of their suffering. For this reason, I hope they will agree to these short- and long-term measures we are proposing,” he said. — DayakDaily