3 factors cause flash floods in Sabah, Bung tells state assembly

 By Olivia Miwil - September 22, 2021 @ 2:28pm

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister cum Public Works minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin at the Sabah State Assembly sitting.- Pic courtesy of Sabah Information Department

KOTA KINABALU: Road construction projects are not the only reason for flash floods, said Sabah Public Works Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.

"I do not deny the Pan Borneo Highway project has become one of the factors of the flooding, but there are many other factors that cause drainage to be clogged.

"The second factor is awareness. Our people when they see drains, they throw rubbish and this leads to our drains being filled with bottles and rubbish. We need to change our mentality.

"The third is when development around the city increases, so does the human population, but the utility system is poorly planned," Bung told the state assembly here today.

He added that he would attend a meeting this Friday to get to know more about the causes of flooding.

Bung, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said this when answering additional questions by Datuk Junz Wong (Warisan-Tanjung Aru).

Wong asked whether the poor drainage system at Pan Borneo Highway project at Kampung Kolopis in Penampang, Kampung Giling in Tuaran, and Kampung Duvanson in Putatan had contributed to the recent severe floods.

Peto Galim (PKR-Inanam) asked whether the design of the Pan Borneo Highway project could be changed according to the current situation.

To this, Bung said he would help the Public Works Department to see if that was needed.

To a separate question by Tan Lee Fatt [DAP-Likas], Bung said contractors who had failed to maintain drainage systems that might have led to flooding in the state, would be issued with an order to produce a non-compliant report.

However, he said no companies were given such action so far.

"The government via Sabah Public Works and concessionaire companies, as well as road maintenance contractors have always ensured the drainage at the designated areas to be maintained according to their schedule to ensure the system is working well and (drainage remains) unclogged.

"Apart from the scheduled maintenance, the clearing work is also done during emergencies," he said, adding the frequency of drainage clearing work has been increased this year.

As for the flash floods, Bung added that it happened when the monsoon drains are full and can no longer accommodate the amount of water flowing from the roads.

He also said the disaster was inevitable as the river water took a longer time to flow to the sea due to high tide.

Several districts in Sabah has been hit by severe floods three times in the past three weeks.

One of the worst floods was on Sept 15 when incessant heavy rain led to landslides and floods in Penampang district, a disaster which killed three people and destroyed the homes of many other residents.