SIBU: Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng is pushing for the implementation of Phase 4 of the Sibu flood mitigation project to kick off soon.

He said based on input from the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) Sarawak, the fourth phase would be tendered out this year.

“I have already appealed to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian that, after the tender (process), we must start the project right away. We cannot wait for next year. Phases 1 and 2 have protected the areas that they cover from floods. When we implement Phase 4 of this flood mitigation project, it also covers Bukit Assek and the town areas.

“During the ‘King tide’, you’d notice that the areas at Jalan Keranji and Jalan Bako (in town area) are inundated; that is why Phase 4 is important. The designing is already done, and now I think it’s in the stage of preparing the tender.

“I will keep monitoring this, pushing for the tendering process and implementation,” he said during a briefing at the Civil Defence Force (APM) Sibu District operations centre yesterday, conducted by APM Sibu disaster operations officer, Capt (PA) Azamsah Apearal.

Earlier, the assemblyman handed food items from his service centre, comprising 40kg of chicken, 20kg each of ‘kembung’ (mackerel) and sardines, as well as 10kg of cabbages, to 90 members of the APM and the Armed Forces (ATM).

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the hard work and also the dedication shown by our APM, as well as the ATM. Especially during this critical time, they have been in operations for more than two weeks.”

Meanwhile, Azamsah said his team had helped deliver some 3,000 packs of food items to 26 longhouses in Kanowit.