KAPIT (March 12): Folks residing along the riverbanks and low-lying areas here have been advised to be on alert for possible flooding, following heavy rain over the past few days.

Kapit district officer Cerisologo Sabut said those living near hill slopes need to be vigilant and to alert the authorities if they notice signs of soil erosion.

“Based on our past experiences, continuous heavy rain in Kapit would often result in flooding, erosion and landslides, resulting in property damage.

“With heavy rain over these few days, we need to be on alert for possible natural disasters,” he said.

Cerisologo, who chairs the Kapit District Disaster Management Committee, also reminded boat operators to uphold safety by requiring all passengers to wear life jackets.

“Do not overload your boat and keep an eye out for floating deadwood, especially when travelling at night,” he said.

BINTULU (March 12): Mitsubishi Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Diamond Gas Holdings Sdn Bhd, have extended essential relief assistance to schools and communities affected by the recent floods here.

The flood relief aid, valued at over RM300,000, includes desks and chairs for schools, emergency evacuation boats, office equipment, and cash assistance.

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Bintulu during this challenging time,” said Mitsubishi Corporation Representative to Malaysia, Kosuke Makino.

“Our hearts go out to all those who have been impacted by the floods, and we are committed to providing the necessary support to help them rebuild their lives,” he said.

On March 10 and 11, representatives from both companies visited Bintulu and Tatau to oversee the distribution of aid while engaging with local officials, headmasters, and community members.

The contributions were distributed to Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Selad, SK Asyakirin, SK Kuala Muput, the Bintulu Disaster Committee, the Tatau/Sebauh Education Office, and the Bintulu District Education Office.

The teams also participated in post-flood cleaning and painting activities at the schools.

Diamond Gas Holdings Sdn Bhd Managing Director Tetsutaroh Moriyama expressed hope that the contributions would support recovery efforts and provide some relief to the affected communities.

According to a statement from Mitsubishi Corporation, its partnership with Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) dates back to 1978 through its subsidiary, Diamond Gas Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Through the signing of agreements, it continues to strengthen trust in Petronas’ capabilities to deliver Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to international markets, particularly to LNG customers in Japan.

“The Petronas LNG complex through partnerships and alongside Mitsubishi Corporation commenced LNG supply to long-term Japanese contract buyers since 1983, and since then, it has been a main LNG supplier, providing lower-carbon energy solutions to a diverse range of public and private sector customers in Japan,” it added.

Beyond LNG, Mitsubishi Corporation and Diamond Gas Holdings have been involved in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) projects run by Shell MDS in Bintulu since 1989, manufacturing products such as GTL wax, drilling fluids, and chemicals.

In addition to its core natural gas business in Malaysia, Mitsubishi Corporation has invested in 10 gas upstream blocks in Sarawak and expanded its business portfolio in Malaysia to include automobiles, food, petrochemicals, metal, and steel.

KUCHING, 12 Mac: Seramai 900 anggota dan pegawai Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) Sarawak akan bertugas sepanjang Op Raya Aidilfitri tahun ini.

Pengarah JBPM Sarawak, Jamri Masran, berkata jumlah itu merangkumi 80 peratus daripada keseluruhan 1,200 anggota bomba di negeri ini.

Menurutnya, cuti anggota tidak dibekukan sepenuhnya, namun jadual bertugas diatur bagi memastikan operasi berjalan lancar.

“Penugasan bukan hanya tertumpu kepada pemeriksaan premis perniagaan, kediaman, dan bangunan, tetapi juga pemantauan di Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo.

“Kami menjangkakan peningkatan trafik di kawasan berkenaan dan bersiap sedia menghadapi sebarang kemungkinan, termasuk risiko kemalangan,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian selepas Sesi Ziarah Sumbangsih Raya 2025 (SR25) di Ibu Pejabat JBPM Sarawak, hari ini.

Tambahnya, pemantauan turut dilakukan di kawasan kampung bagi memastikan keselamatan, terutama melibatkan kanak-kanak yang bermain bunga api dan mercun.

“Kita tidak dapat menghalang sepenuhnya, tetapi akan cuba memantau bagi mengurangkan risiko kejadian tidak diingini.

“Selain itu, orang ramai juga diingatkan agar berhati-hati dalam penggunaan elektrik bagi mengelakkan risiko kebakaran sepanjang musim perayaan ini,” tegasnya.

Beliau turut memaklumkan bahawa Op Raya akan dilaksanakan seminggu sebelum dan selepas Aidilfitri.

“Pelancarannya dijadualkan pada minggu akhir Mac dengan Betong sebagai lokasi pilihan,” katanya. -TVS

KOTA KINABALU: Flood victims in Penampang are questioning the delay in receiving the RM1,000 cash aid promised to them following the devastating floods that hit the district in June.

Parti Warisan vice-president Terrence Siambun said the Sabah government should explain the delay, highlighting the disparity in aid distribution.

“The aid is crucial for those who have suffered losses because of the disaster. However, many flood victims in Penampang are still waiting for the RM1,000 that was promised to them,” Siambun said in a statement on Wednesday (March 12).

Urging state authorities and relevant agencies to address the issue immediately, he stressed that the floods had caused significant destruction to homes and property, and financial assistance should have been a priority for the government.

“I demand transparency in the disbursement process to ensure that no victims are left out. The people of Penampang deserve fair treatment and should not be sidelined in the distribution of aid,” he added.

Siambun called on the government to uphold its commitment to assisting flood victims fairly, warning that any lack of transparency or further delay would only deepen the hardships of those affected.

“The government must prove that it is genuinely committed to helping those in need, not just making announcements without effective and fair implementation,” he said.

He added that to date, there has been no official response from the Sabah government regarding the delay in payments for Penampang flood victims, but many affected residents remain hopeful that the promised aid will be delivered soon.