Kg Kolopis residents fear Pan Borneo Highway will worsen flood woes
Published on: Sunday, February 19, 2017
Penampang: Kampung Kolopis residents are worried that their long-standing flood problems will worsen following rumours that the Pan Borneo Highway project will cut through their village.The low-lying village situated in a long valley is known to be among the flood-prone areas in the district and has been hit countless times in past years, with few occasions reported to be life-threatening.While feeling relieved about the Government's flood mitigation scheme to put an end to the problem, the multi-billion highway project has given them another reason to worry. At the same time, however, it has raised eyebrows among them over what they claimed as non-transparency on the part of those involved in the project.
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"They told me that they found out through unofficial channels that the highway alignment goes right through the middle of the valley here from Kg Kivatu," said Penampang Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin after a discussion with villagers on the matter.Villagers, who expressed disappointment of having to find out in such a manner, have formed an action committee led by Datuk John Maluda to seek a solution that would mutually benefit all parties concerned."They don't oppose the project. They just don't agree with the proposed route. All they want is to be proactive so as to ensure that it would not cause problems later, especially concerning floods. They have now proposed several alternatives," he said.Villagers fear that a significant length of the proposed Pan Borneo Highway route in the village would likely cause future flood levels to rise more than 20 feet.
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They recalled that in the 1999 devastating flood, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) had to abandon its semi-completed sub-station project in the village. The project was later relocated to a higher ground.They also fear that the proposed route through the narrow valley would alter the natural flow of flood water and cause the current to be a lot faster and dangerous.
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They also expressed concern that the highway would split the close-knit community from seven villages within Kg Kolopis whose population is estimated to be about 2,500 people.Unfortunately, villagers had been told that 80 per cent of the plan to construct the highway across the valley in their village had been decided."They've been told that it's 80 per cent confirmed. Now they're all the more worried," Donald said while assuring the villagers that he would bring the matter up to the higher authorities and meet with all the relevant government departments, including the District Officer, to find out if any of them had any knowledge about the matter. He will also find out if there are other villages in the district that are on the proposed highway map but not known by villagers, and may have their own issues arising from the road alignments. According to Donald, soon after learning that the highway route will cut through their village, members of the action committee went to meet with the Pan Borneo Highway Project Delivery Partner (PDP) Managing Director-cum-Chief Operation Officer Ir Shahelmey Yahya to express their concern.Following the meeting, villagers said a group of 12 people comprising PDP representatives and their consultants came to the village and were shown the critical flood-prone locations.A villager, Paulinus Mojiun, claimed that the group's visit was the first time villagers were consulted about the flood situation in Kg Kolopis."When we knew (that the route goes through the village), we were very surprised. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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