BINTULU (Feb 12): Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) has successfully cleaned 80 per cent of areas affected by the recent floods here as of 7pm on Tuesday.

BDA said their post-flood bulk waste clean-up operations targeted 45 residential and village areas. Out of these, 36 areas have been cleaned, two are still in progress, and seven are awaiting clearing.

Several parties have contributed their heavy machinery for the clean-up efforts, resulting in 1,298 truck trips to the Segan disposal site.

For disease control, the authority has conducted fogging, larviciding, and disinfection at 13 locations. BDA thanked all agencies and volunteers involved. 

Separately, Bintulu MP Dato Sri Tiong King Sing said the volunteer clean-up efforts would conclude by the end of this week.

He urged residents to dispose of all waste at designated points or bins within the next few days.

“This not only makes it easier for volunteers to handle but also ensures that large vehicles like lorries can access the areas, as some residential streets may not accommodate them,” he explained.

Tiong added that this would prevent situations where volunteers clear an area, only for another mountain of rubbish to appear shortly after, stalling the progress of waste management.

After this week, he said any further waste disposal will be handled by the BDA waste collection service. “I hope everyone understands that the volunteer teams are contributing their time and effort on a voluntary basis.

“Even essential equipment such as lorries and excavators are either personally provided or coordinated by the volunteers themselves to enhance the efficiency of this clean-up operation,” said Tiong.

He acknowledged that cleaning up damaged furniture, rubbish, and waste from homes after the floods is no easy task.

Volunteer teams organised by the Progressive Democratic Party, Persatuan Persahabatan Zong Ho, and other volunteer groups have been actively assisting in cleaning various areas and transferring accumulated waste to a disposal site.