TAWAU: Sabah DAP committee member Philip Yap questioned the level of preparedness among authorities in dealing with flooding in Tawau.
The floods rarely seen before came after continuous heavy rain combined with a tidal phenomenon.
“Every time there is heavy rain and high tide, the people of Tawau have to live in worry. Until when must this situation repeat? What is more worrying is that the flooding now appears to be getting worse from year to year,” he said in a statement.
Yap said many residents had to deal with floodwater entering their homes, damaged vehicles and affected business premises, disrupting their lives and livelihoods. He also questioned whether the main drains, rivers and river mouths in Tawau are maintained and cleared regularly according to schedule.
He said that if the drainage system is not managed effectively, the impact would be worse when water flow is obstructed, even though heavy rain is a natural factor. Yap also raised the issue of the Tawau River bed widening project, which began several years ago but has yet to be completed.
He hoped all relevant parties would act swiftly to resolve the constraints faced and speed up the implementation of the project, which he said is crucial to strengthening Tawau’s flood mitigation capacity in the long term
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He said the Government cannot focus only on clean-up work after floods occur but on a more comprehensive solution, including ensuring regular maintenance of drains, rivers and river mouths, speeding up the Tawau River widening project and upgrading the drainage system in areas frequently hit by floods.
“The people of Tawau do not need sympathy every time flooding occurs. What they need is action that can genuinely solve this problem,” he said.
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