KOTA KINABALU: The various authorities have been urged to carry out restoration, repair and maintenance works on blocked roads, power lines, and electric as well as water supplies following floods and landslides in Penampang.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor made these instructions after visiting several flood-hit areas in the district on Saturday (Sept 13) morning after touching down from Sarawak. He was in Kuching for the MA63 technical committee meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the past two days.
“We need to make sure roads that are affected including the Penampang-Tambunan route are cleared from landslides so that traffic flow can return to normal,” he said, adding it was also for the safety of road users.
“As for power lines that are cut off, we urge Sabah Electricity to carry out repair works as soon as possible while the Water Department and Jetama are required to do all they can to restore water supply to affected areas,” said Hajiji.
He said agencies such as the Works Department and concessionaires need to increase their manpower and working hours so that these works can be done quickly and efficiently.
“We hope the affected villagers can give us some time to do what is needed as we are doing our best to address the problems,” he said in assuring that the state would arrange for humanitarian aid for those affected.
Hajiji said these works are to be coordinated by the State Disaster Management Committee with the Community Welfare Department among other agencies.
Assistance was also being prepared for affected villagers, he said, adding that landslides and floods were due to continuous thunderstorms over the past three days.
He said based on the InforBanjir webpage, the highest rainfall recorded was 23.4 millimeters in 15 minutes and 82.5 milimeters in a day on Sept 11.
“This resulted in the hilly and slope areas to become unstable which resulted in landslides,” said Hajiji in conveying his sympathies and condolences to victims and families of an elderly man who was found dead from the landslide on Sept 11.
Also present were State Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, Penampang MP Datuk Ewon Benedick, Moyog Parti Gagasan Rakyat division head Datuk Ceasar Mandela Malakun, Kapayan assemblyman Datuk Jannie Lasimbang.
In conveying his thanks to Hajiji for visiting Penampang, Ewon said when the disaster first struck, he had instructed the Penampang MP service secretariat to send food packets to victims, conduct gotong-royong to help affected villagers and hire heavy machinery to clear mud and other debris.
Water pumps were also handed over to the village safety and development committees in several villages including Kg Dungkahang, Kg Penampang Proper and Kg Tuavon to be used on a rotation basis to clean up the flood and mudwaters.
“I have suggested for allocation of the SMJ Rumah Mesra houses to be given to affected villages so that they can rebuild their homes,” he said.
Ewon, who was present at the MA63 technical committee meeting, had informed the Prime Minister of the floods as well.
He made a follow-up request to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, of the need to continue Penampang’s flood mitigation project which is now in its first and third package.
A total of 450 flood victims from 137 families in Penampang, Beaufort and Tawau remain displaced as of 4pm, Saturday (Sept 13). Out of this number, 244 people from 76 families are in temporary shelters in Penampang.
