‘Set aside politics’: Work together to end Miri’s annual flash floods, says MP

MIRI (Jan 10): All relevant parties must set aside political differences and work together to tackle the flash flood problem that continues to disrupt the lives of Miri residents.

In making this call, Miri MP Chiew Choon Man said the situation has reached a critical stage and requires immediate, coordinated actions from all stakeholders.

“Flash floods have become a recurring issue for thousands of residents, and the problem has been raised repeatedly in Parliament and to the media over the past few years.

“Several agencies are responsible for flood mitigation projects, and they must be accountable.

“We need clarity on what has been done over the past year,” he said, noting plans to organise a series of engagements with the relevant authorities.

Chiew has already met officers from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Miri and will continue reviewing preventive measures to assess their effectiveness.

Many technical issues fall under the jurisdiction of the Miri City Council (MCC), and he intends to engage with the council to identify root causes.

He stressed that funding should not be an obstacle, as both state and federal avenues can be explored.

“The most important thing is for all parties to sit down and work together. Political differences must be set aside at this critical moment,” he said.

Chiew acknowledged public frustration over the issue, particularly complaints circulating on social media questioning actions taken over the past year.

He emphasised the need for a comprehensive review of Miri’s drainage system rather than piecemeal solutions, complemented by regular maintenance to prevent blockages.

“Every housing development or a new project must be carefully assessed. If a development affects water flow, developers must be responsible for providing additional drainage infrastructure,” he said, noting that many of Miri’s drainage systems were built decades ago and are unable to cope with increased water volumes from rapid urban development.

Residents in areas such as Golden Park, he said, have reported frequent flooding after decades of stability, highlighting the need for a holistic study of the city’s drainage and water management system.

Chiew will continue monitoring the situation, engaging with residents and agencies to find long-term solutions.

“If we continue with a business-as-usual approach, flooding in Miri will become an annual occurrence,” he warned.

He also highlighted the RM31-million Miri River Flood Mitigation Plan project under the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra), approved under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).

According to Petra, the project had achieved 28.16 per cent progress on site as of August last year, covering the Lutong, Krokop and Jalan Jee Foh areas.