RM281m to beat Moyog floods highest
Published on: Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Putatan: The four-package Moyog River Basin Flood Mitigation Project costing RM281m is expected to help alleviate flooding problems in areas such as Kapayan, Kibabaig, Donggongon and Putatan while at the same time, improve and sustain the living quality of the people there.Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman (pic) said although natural disasters such as floods and landslides are natural phenomena that are out of human control, there are ways to reduce their impacts and risks."In the context of flood mitigation, we were informed that through the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), the amount of funds allotted was the biggest so far, exceeding any allocations for flood mitigation projects in the State.
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"On behalf of the State government, I would like to thank the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the Natural Resource and Environment Ministry for approving such a huge allocation for the development of this project," he said during a ground-breaking ceremony at the project launching here, Monday.Musa's speech was read by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin.Musa urged the various agencies and departments involved in the project to give their full commitment to ensure the success.He said the cooperation and support of the people in the area are crucial to ensure the project is carried out smoothly and completed according to plan for the benefit of the people.
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Meanwhile, during a press conference held after the event, Yahya said homes built on the riverbanks will have to be demolished to make way for the project, which is expected to complete by 2020."I hope the people will understand and be of one heart when it comes to that. These lands belong to the government because these are riparian reserves anyway, and of course, the houses will be demolished eventually.
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"It is worth noting that these people have been warned not to build their homes on riverbanks. Now we have to take stern action," he said.According to Wan Junaidi, the project will cost RM481.39 million involving four development plans for a total solution to the flood problem with RM281 million already approved under the 11th Malaysian Plan for package 1 and package 3.The Ministry, he said, is hoping that the tender process for Package 2 in Lido will be completed by March with the implementation to be carried out as early as April this year.Wan Junaidi also cautioned that despite spending hundreds of millions of ringgit on development projects such as this, ultimately it is the people's responsibility to keep the rivers clean from pollution."Do not throw rubbish into the river because one of the main reasons for flooding is because our rivers are clogged with rubbish," he said.Work on Package 1 of the project started on Nov. 21, 2016 and would take 36 months to complete while Package 3 is expected to start by April this year.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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