PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
KOTA KINABALU (Jan 21): The Pan Borneo Highway and other infrastructure development projects in Sabah have become ‘a tale of waiting’ for Sabahans, said Sipitang MP Datuk Matbali Musah.
Speaking during the debate on the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, Matbali expressed disappointment over the progress of the Pan Borneo Highway project, describing it as ‘seemingly endless’.
“The highway was supposed to be the backbone of the state’s development, but instead it has become a tale of waiting – never completed, repeatedly stalled, diverted here and there, with potholes patched up like old wounds,” he said.
He pointed out that while several road packages have been awarded, many have yet to commence, some have started but remain incomplete, and more worryingly, others have yet to be awarded at all.
In contrast, Matbali cited the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sarawak, which began in the same year and has since been completed, becoming a source of pride for the state.
He also sought a detailed explanation on the latest status of the Sipitang–Beaufort road alignment, involving Work Package (WP) 01 Sindumin–Melalia and WP02 Melalia–Beaufort, noting that the route serves as vital lifeline for the daily lives of the people he represents.
In addition, Matbali asked for clarification on the 2.5-kilometre Jalan Mentulud project, which has been approved but has yet to begin implementation.
He also made an appeal for the immediate upgrading of the 140-kilometre road linking Sipitang to Long Pasia, including the river crossing in Meligan.
“The route crossing the Meligan River is highly critical and must be given urgent priority as it is the only road access for Kampung Long Pasia, Kampung Long Mio and Kampung Iburu residents,” he said, calling on the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, the Ministry of Works, and relevant implementing agencies to turn their attention to the interior of Sipitang.
Touching on frequent flooding, particularly in the Beaufort district, he noted that six major incidents were recorded in the past year, involving thousands of residents who had to be evacuated.
“Flood disaster management must be prioritised, beginning with improvements to internet access at permanent and temporary evacuation centres, as well as better road access for villagers to and from these centres,” he said.
He added that the shortage of vehicles to register victims outside evacuation centres, coupled with a lack of volunteers, has further burdened disaster management efforts, and called for serious attention from the authorities.
Matbali also expressed hope that stable high-speed WiFi facilities could be provided through the upgrading of telecommunications towers to ensure communication is not disrupted during disasters.
LAWAS, 21 Jan: Pengagihan bantuan bakul makanan kepada mangsa banjir di beberapa kampung di Daerah Kecil Trusan dilakukan hari ini menerusi kerjasama strategik antara Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia (APM) Daerah Lawas dan Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM), di sini.
Pegawai Pertahanan Awam Daerah Lawas, Leftenan (PA) Maradona Tatah berkata, pengagihan bantuan itu dilaksanakan susulan kejadian banjir yang melanda kawasan berkenaan dari 1 hingga 4 Januari lalu, sekali gus menjejaskan kehidupan harian penduduk.
“Bantuan bakul makanan ini disalurkan bagi meringankan beban mangsa serta memastikan keperluan asas mereka terus terpelihara,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan hari ini.
Beliau berkata, pelaksanaan agihan bantuan tersebut turut melibatkan sokongan dan penyertaan pelbagai agensi di bawah Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Daerah Lawas.
Menurutnya, pendekatan kerjasama bersepadu antara agensi kerajaan ini penting bagi memastikan penyampaian bantuan kepada mangsa bencana dapat dilaksanakan secara cekap, tersusun dan berkesan. -TVS
BESUT: Kira-kira 5,000 penduduk di beberapa kampung termasuk Kampung Pachakan di sini, merayu pembinaan monsun drain atau longkang monsun sebagai alternatif mengatasi banjir kilat setiap kali hujan lebat berterusan.
Antara kampung terlibat ialah Kampung Alor Peroi, Kayu Kelat, Pachakan, Teluk Bayu, Geretak Seratus dan Kampung Alor Jejawi.
Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Keselamatan Kampung Persekutuan (JPKKP) Kampung Kayu Kelat, Ahmad Suazli Mohamed berkata, banjir kilat yang melanda saban tahun bukan hanya membawa risiko keselamatan penduduk malah merosakkan harta.
“Hujan lebat dalam tempoh 24 jam hingga 48 jam sahaja boleh menyebabkan paras air meningkat mendadak, ditambah masalah air pasang membuat penduduk di sini terpaksa berpindah ke pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS).
“Ada juga kawasan air di dalam sistem perparitannya tidak pernah kering kerana tidak dapat mengalir secara terus ke laut,” katanya semalam.
Seorang penduduk, Norihan Mohd Razali, 46, berkata, dia dan keluarganya sudah penat berdepan rumah dinaiki air setinggi dua meter setiap kali hujan dan berharap longkang monsun segera dibina bagi mengelakkan kejadian sama berulang.
Katanya, dalam tempoh setahun, dia bersama enam ahli keluarga yang lain terpaksa berpindah lima atau enam kali ke PPS setiap kali hujan lebat melanda.
Sementara itu, bekas Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Kuala Besut, Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd. Rahman berkata, masalah banjir di beberapa kampung di kawasan itu berlaku sejak sekian lama dan menjejaskan hampir 5,000 penduduk.
“Kita jangka dengan pembinaan longkang berkeluasan lebih tiga meter dan panjang kira-kira dua kilometer dari Kampung Tok Saboh ke Kampung Pachakan dapat mencegah berlakunya banjir kilat,” katanya. – UTUSAN
GAZA CITY: Ratusan ribu penduduk Palestin yang kini berlindung di kem-kem pelarian sementara dilaporkan bakal berdepan penderitaan lebih perit susulan ramalan ribut baharu yang dijangka membadai Gaza dalam masa terdekat.
Keadaan kem yang sedia ada daif dan tidak mampu menahan cuaca musim sejuk yang ekstrem itu kini menjadi ancaman besar kepada nyawa pelarian.
Pejabat Media Kerajaan Gaza melaporkan minggu lalu sebanyak 127,000 daripada 135,000 khemah di kem pelarian rosak dan tidak lagi boleh didiami akibat cuaca buruk sebelum ini.
Wartawan Al Jazeera, Tareq Abu Azzoum melaporkan, pihak Israel masih menghalang kemasukan unit rumah pasang siap dan bahan binaan yang penting untuk perlindungan musim sejuk, selain menyekat aliran bantuan kemanusiaan.
Di bawah perjanjian gencatan senjata tajaan Amerika Syarikat (AS) bermula 10 Oktober lalu yang dicabuli ratusan kali oleh Israel, penghantaran bantuan sepatutnya ditingkatkan kepada sekurang-kurangnya 600 trak sehari namun hanya purata 145 trak yang dibenarkan masuk.
“Ratusan ribu keluarga pelarian masih tinggal di dalam khemah yang koyak dan rumah tanpa bumbung, terdedah kepada hujan serta malam yang membeku.
“Tanpa bahan api dan alat pemanas, penduduk Palestin terpaksa mengambil langkah terdesak dengan mengukuhkan khemah menggunakan plastik, memakai pakaian berlapis-lapis, serta membakar sisa sampah di dalam khemah untuk memanaskan badan,” kata Tareq.
Kesan musim sejuk kali ini dilaporkan amat tragis apabila seramai 24 orang dilaporkan maut akibat pendedahan kepada cuaca sejuk melampau, dengan 21 daripadanya adalah kanak-kanak.
Sekurang-kurangnya 25 orang terkorban sejak pertengahan Disember akibat bangunan rosak yang runtuh berpunca daripada faktor cuaca dan kesan pengeboman lalu.
Pengarah Kompleks Perubatan Al-Shifa, Mohammed Abu Salmiya berkata, virus yang menular di wilayah itu sejak awal musim sejuk turut menyebabkan kematian harian, bukan sahaja dalam kalangan warga emas dan mereka yang menghidap penyakit kronik, tetapi juga wanita hamil dan kanak-kanak.
CONCEPCION, Chile, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Wildfires in Chile have left at least 19 people dead, authorities said on Monday, as the government carried out mass evacuations and fought nearly two dozen blazes exacerbated by intense heat and high winds.
While weather conditions overnight helped control some fires, the largest were still active, with adverse conditions expected throughout the day, security minister, Luis Cordero, said at a news briefing on Monday.
"The projection we have today is of high temperatures," Cordero said, and the main worry was that new fires would be triggered throughout the region.
Parts of central and southern Chile were under extreme heat warnings with temperatures expected to reach up to 37 Celsius (99 Fahrenheit).
STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN NUBLE, BIO BIO
As of late Sunday, Chile's CONAF forestry agency said firefighters were combating 23 fires across the country, the largest of which were in regions of Ñuble and Bío Bío, where President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe.
Over 20,000 hectares (77 square miles) have been razed so far, an area about the size of Seattle, with the largest fire surpassing 14,000 hectares on the outskirts of the coastal city Concepcion.
The fast-moving blaze tore through the towns of Penco and Lirquen over the weekend, destroying hundreds of homes and killing several people, with authorities still assessing the damage.
HEAT, BLAZES ALSO IMPACT ARGENTINA
Authorities are currently battling the fire as it threatened Manzano prison on the edge of Concepcion and the town of Tome to the north.
Both Chile and Argentina rang in the new year with heat waves which have continued into January. Earlier this month, wildfires broke out in Argentina's Patagonia, burning around 15,000 hectares.
(Reporting by Alexander VillegasEditing by Bernadette Baum)