KUCHING (Jan 26): A total of 25 flood victims from Kampung Seruyuk in Sebuyau have been placed at a temporary evacuation centre (PPS).

The Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said the PPS was set up at the Kampung Seruyuk old mosque building.

It was activated at 8am this morning. As at 4pm, the number of evacuees remained at 25 people from eight households.

The PPS is the only evacuation centre activated so far, following continuous rain that occurred the day before.

Kawasan hutan seluas kira-kira dua hektar berhampiran Plaza Tol Denai Alam, Lebuhraya Bertingkat Damansara-Shah Alam (Dash) di Shah Alam terbakar tengah hari tadi

Penolong Pengarah Bahagian Operasi Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) Selangor Ahmad Mukhlis Mokhtar berkata pihaknya menerima panggilan berhubung kejadian itu pada 12.58 tengah hari sebelum lapan orang pegawai dan anggota dari Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat (BBP) Bukit Jelutong dikerah ke tempat kejadian.

“Kesemua pegawai dan anggota telah bergegas ke tempat kejadian bersama sebuah jentera serta tangki air dan tiba di lokasi kejadian pada 1.22 tengah hari.

“Setibanya di lokasi, kebakaran itu melibatkan hutan dianggar seluas dua hektar dan api berjaya dikawal pada 3.40 petang," katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini.

Dia berkata setakat lima petang tadi, kerja-kerja pemadaman masih dijalankan.

Natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said 171 rivers are deemed slightly polluted while 468, or 70%, are considered clean.

However, he said the 33 polluted rivers recorded a class III to IV level of pollution, adding that there were no cases of class V pollution reported last year.

In December 2024, Kurup’s predecessor, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, said the number of polluted rivers had reduced from 59 in 2019 to 25 in 2023.

The number of clean rivers stood at 486 that year, reflecting an improvement in river water quality at the time.

MIRI (Jan 27): Underperforming drain maintenance contractors will face termination if they continue to fail in carrying out their duties.

In giving this reminder, Mayor Adam Yii pointed out that while floods could hit due to many reasons, poor condition of the drains should never be one of them.

“Contractors who fail to perform will not be tolerated. “If they’re not doing their job, action will be taken, including contract termination,” he said during a press briefing, held after chairing the Miri City Council (MCC) meeting on Monday.

The Pujut assemblyman stressed that with drains at housing areas and the small ones across the city being under the jurisdiction of the MCC, they must be clean and well-maintained to ensure that the overflow could be properly discharged during heavy rainfall.

“Cleaning works are currently ongoing in the flood-prone areas here, especially in Senadin where excess water cannot be discharged efficiently because of clogged drains.

“Hopefully with the improve maintenance, flooding caused by blocked drains would not be repeated during the next round of heavy rain,” he told the reporters.

Adding on, Yii further clarified that drainage maintenance was under different authorities depending on the type and location of the infrastructure.

“Smaller roadside drains and those in the residential areas generally fall under the jurisdiction of the MCC,” he reiterated.

“The larger storm or monsoon drains, as well as the retention ponds are maintained by the DID (Department of Irrigation and Drainage).

“Not everything is under the council. Each agency has its own responsibility, and the public must understand this clearly,” he added.