KUCHING (March 14): The existing earth drains at Kampung Stutong Iban BDC here will soon be upgraded to concrete drains to speed up water discharge and prevent further soil erosion, said Wilfred Yap.

The Kota Sentosa assemblyman said the project has been approved by the Premier’s Office under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP), where RM300,000 will be utilised for the upgrading works.

“The village security and development committee (JKKK) headed by village chief Duris Likau had previously approached me to express their concerns of flash floods in their village as the erosion from the earth drains were going from bad to worse and were in danger of collapsing altogether.

“Despite the increase in the number of residents moving into the BDC Stutong area through new housing estates, the earth drains in the village have never been upgraded for the last 20 years,” he said in a statement.

Yap said he along with officers from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak yesterday visited the site for the drainage upgrading works.

“The visit was specifically arranged by my service centre and the JKKK to identify the critical flash flood areas so that DID, being the appointed implementing agency, can carry out the upgrading drainage works.

“I have also requested for the DID officers to urgently complete the design and specifications of the said drainage upgrading works so that the project can start and be completed as soon as possible to mitigate the inconveniences caused by flash floods,” he said.

He added he would be coordinating with DID to ensure that there will be no delay in the implementation of this RTP project.

“Subsequent RTP drainage upgrading projects are expected in Kampung Stutong Iban BDC in the near future, based on their urgency and through phased implementation to ensure financial adequacy of my annual RTP funding,” said Yap.