Sipitang MP calls for emergency allocations for floods, school repairs in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU (Feb 26): Sipitang MP Datuk Matbali Musah has urged the federal Ministry of Finance to provide a special emergency contingency allocation to deal more effectively with natural disasters, particularly the increasingly frequent floods affecting Sabah.

He said such an allocation was crucial to ensure immediate assistance could be mobilised whenever disasters strike, stressing that the current situation required faster and more flexible financial mechanisms.

“A special emergency contingency allocation is needed to address the frequent natural disasters, especially in Sabah. This is important so that immediate assistance can be mobilised every time a disaster occurs,” he said.

Matbali made the call while debating the Supplementary Supply Bill for the Ministry of Finance in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, following the latest wave of floods affecting several districts in Sabah.

He said earlier this week, the districts of Pitas, Kota Marudu, Paitan and Beluran were hit by floods, affecting more than 10,000 residents, with over 5,000 people displaced. On Wednesday, five more districts, namely Sipitang, Beaufort, Sook, Tenom and Membakut, were officially declared flood disaster areas.

“Even as I am speaking now, many roads in the Sipitang parliamentary constituency are still submerged.

“Flooding has become almost a permanent season in our state, particularly in Sipitang, which includes the districts of Sipitang and Beaufort.

“Every year, even several times a year, floods come relentlessly, the latest having occurred over the past two days,” he said.

In addition, Matbali also proposed that the Ministry of Finance provide a special emergency allocation to repair dilapidated and unsafe school buildings.

He cited the case of Sekolah Kebangsaan Luagan Sanginan, where structural reinforcement bars broke on Dec 18, last year, forcing the school to be closed due to safety risks.

“More than two months have passed, and the pupils are still forced to learn in uncomfortable conditions.

“Classes have been moved to the resource centre, laboratories, remedial rooms, and even shared classrooms.

“Some students are also having lessons in the school’s open hall,” he said.

He added that although the Beaufort District Education Office had submitted an application to replace the damaged school building, it was still awaiting a response.

Matbali also expressed his appreciation to Beaufort District education officer Ghani Senang, who responded promptly by visiting the site after being contacted by the school’s headmaster Zulkifli Bidul on the day of the incident.