BINTULU (Jan 14): The government should seriously consider opening up a new channel here to disperse water flow and address flooding, instead of continuing to rely solely on the already-overburdened Sungai Sebiew.

In pointing this out, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Bintulu chairman Chiew Chan Yew observed that severe flooding had become increasingly frequent year after year, underscoring the need for the state government to address the root causes of this problem with longer-term, more structural solutions.

He pointed out that current conditions had repeatedly shown that Sungai Sebiew could no longer accommodate additional water coming from the upstream areas, residential zones and ongoing development projects.

“The situation over the past few days has once again highlighted the severity of the problem.

“Even a short period of rainfall, combined with run-off from Jalan Bintulu-Miri, can cause the water levels to rise rapidly and affect a wide area,” he said in a statement yesterday.

According to Chiew, flooding has become more frequent and severe across the Tanjong Batu constituency – home to tens of thousands of households along Sungai Sebiew and its surrounding catchment areas, calling it ‘inescapable shadow over residents’ daily lives’.

“The flooding along Sungai Sebiew and in the coastal areas of Tanjung Batu can no longer be resolved through short stretches of drainage works or minor upgrades to the local systems.

“What Sungai Sebiew is facing now is an excessive concentration of water volume and limited discharge outlets, a structural and systemic crisis that cannot be addressed through piecemeal fixes,” he said.

Chiew also expressed concern that further residential and development projects planned on the opposite side of Jalan Sibiyu would generate even more surface run-off, all of which would eventually flow into the same river.

“Under such a development model, all water is forced towards a single outlet. How can the river not exceed its capacity?” he said, adding that repeated calls to dredge the riverbed had yet to materialise.

“While acknowledging that the dredging of Sungai Sebiew is important, it is a long and complex process, and also, it must not become an excuse for inaction.

“As dredging proceeds, the government must at the same time seriously examine the necessity of opening a new river channel to relieve the immense pressure borne by the stretch of Sungai Sebiew from the fifth-mile area to Kampung Kemunting near Taman Desa Damai,” he said, describing this as a long-term solution that must be considered based on present realities.

Based on interactions with flood victims over the past few days, Chiew said many residents were living with deep psychological trauma caused by years of repeated flooding.

“Even after the rain stops and the sun comes out, the fear of the next downpour remains.

“Once the sky darkens slightly and water begins to pool on the roads, many residents would immediately move their vehicles, fearing they will wake up to find them submerged.

“Flooding brings not only material losses, but also prolonged mental stress and fear. “Many families have spent lifetime’s savings on or are committed to 20- to 30-year housing loans just to secure a home.

“Yet with every year-end rain, it becomes the most unsettling place of all.”

Chiew said flood mitigation must not be treated as an issue raised only before elections or addressed through short-term measures and publicity-driven projects.

“It concerns people’s safety, family stability and future quality of life.

“If the government continued to rely on fragmented and short-sighted measures, more families would pay an unbearable price,” he said.

The DAP man urged the Sarawak government to demonstrate political will and professional planning by comprehensively re-evaluating Bintulu’s water management system, including the feasibility of new river channels, reconfiguration of drainage outlets and closer coordination between development planning and flood mitigation efforts.

“Only then can Bintulu people truly enjoy a life not dictated by the weather, nor plagued by sleepless nights of fear,” he added.

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Jan: Banjir di Sabah pulih sepenuhnya apabila pusat pemindahan terakhir di negeri itu ditutup 4 petang ini manakala jumlah mangsa di Sarawak terus merekodkan penurunan.

Di SABAH, Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri (JPBN) memaklumkan Pusat Pemindahan Kekal (PPK) Slagon dan Pusat Pemindahan Sementara (PPS) Dewan Sri Dayang Shahbandar, Padas Damit di Beaufort telah ditutup selepas keadaan banjir pulih sepenuhnya.

Menurut kenyataan itu, kedua-dua pusat pemindahan berkenaan menempatkan 366 mangsa daripada 138 keluarga pagi tadi dan kesemua mereka dibenarkan pulang ke rumah masing-masing petang ini.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Daerah (JPBD) Beaufort yang juga Pegawai Daerah Beaufort Mohd Nazri Ajun mengisytiharkan penamatan bencana banjir di daerah berkenaan.

Di SARAWAK, jumlah mangsa banjir mencatatkan penurunan dengan 1,822 orang daripada 587 keluarga masih berlindung di PPS petang ini berbanding 3,111 mangsa daripada 962 keluarga pagi tadi.

JPBN Sarawak memaklumkan sebanyak 13 PPS masih aktif melibatkan kawasan Serian, Sibu, Bintulu, Sebauh dan Miri.

Menurut jawatankuasa itu, antara PPS yang menempatkan jumlah mangsa tertinggi ialah PPS Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanah Puteh di Serian dengan 448 mangsa daripada 131 keluarga, diikuti Dewan Masyarakat Serian (325 mangsa daripada 94 keluarga) dan PPS Dewan Suarah Bintulu (306 mangsa daripada 114 keluarga). -TVS

SELANGAU (Jan 12): Five schools here were unable to operate on the first day of the new school term following the flood situation affecting the area over the past few days.

Selangau district officer Yalin Asan said the floods had caused several main access to the schools to be inaccessible.

It was informed that the affected schools are SK Nanga Tajam, SK Nanga Selangau, SK Kuala Lemai and SK Ulu Sungai Arip.

“SK Nanga Selangau and SK St Mark are completely submerged. SK St Mark is now implementing home-based teaching and learning (PdPR).

“For SK Ulu Sungai Arip, the school operations cannot be carried out because the school hall has been used as a PPS (temporary evacuation centre) since Jan 10,” he said when contacted on Monday on the first day of the 2026 school term.

The PPS is currently sheltering 238 flood victims from four longhouses.

Adding on, Yalin said the Selangau District Education Office (PPD) has taken proactive measures by restructuring learning schedules for the affected schools.

“This is meant to ensure that students’ learning processes are not completely disrupted despite the flood situation.

“So far, Selangau has only one PPS operating within a school compound; any need to open additional PPS will be discussed with the PPD if flooding continues,” he said.

Meanwhile, 11 temporary evacuation centres (PPS) were officially closed on Monday, leaving 14 active centres statewide, said the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).

In an update at 4pm, SDMC said the 14 PPS are sheltering 1,822 flood and landslide victims.

The 11 closed PPS are located in Siburan (3), Serian (6), and one each in Balai Ringin and Selangau.

In its 8am update earlier, SDMC reported a total of 3,111 evacuees being housed at 25 PPS across Sarawak.

MUKAH, 12 Jan: Seramai 238 mangsa banjir membabitkan 64 Ketua Isi Rumah (KIR) dari tiga rumah panjang di Selangau dibenarkan pulang ke kediaman masing-masing hari ini selepas keadaan banjir di kawasan berkenaan surut sepenuhnya.

Mangsa terlibat terdiri daripada penduduk Rumah Janting, Rumah David dan Rumah Jambai, selain beberapa kakitangan Klinik Kesihatan Sungai Arip, Selangau yang sebelum ini ditempatkan di Pusat Pemindahan Sementara (PPS) Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bukit Arip.

Ketua Polis Daerah Mukah, Deputi Superintendan Muhamad Rizal Alias berkata, keputusan membenarkan semua mangsa pulang dibuat selepas pemantauan mendapati situasi banjir pulih sepenuhnya dan kawasan kediaman terjejas berada dalam keadaan selamat.

Menurut beliau, susulan perkembangan positif itu, PPS SK Bukit Arip ditutup sepenuhnya berkuat kuasa jam 3.00 petang.

“Keputusan ini dibuat setelah pihak berkuasa mendapati paras air surut sepenuhnya di sekitar kawasan rumah panjang yang terlibat dan keadaan kini selamat untuk penghuni kembali ke rumah masing-masing,” katanya dalam kenyataan.

Beliau turut memaklumkan bahawa sepasukan anggota dari Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Mukah turut digerakkan bagi membantu proses penghantaran pulang penduduk ke rumah panjang masing-masing.

Katanya, kerjasama pelbagai agensi termasuk pihak keselamatan dan pengurusan bencana amat penting bagi memastikan urusan pemindahan berjalan lancar dan teratur.

Dalam pada itu, beliau menegaskan pemantauan berterusan tetap dijalankan di kawasan berisiko banjir sekitar daerah Mukah dan Selangau.

“Langkah kesiapsiagaan itu penting bagi memastikan tindakan pantas dapat diambil, termasuk pemindahan penduduk, sekiranya keadaan cuaca kembali buruk dan risiko banjir meningkat semula,” katanya. – TVS