KUCHING: The continuous downpour has exposed the inadequacy of the drainage system in the city.
Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said many commuters were strained on the roads in Kuching due to the flash floods in various places despite not being extraordinarily heavy rainfalls.
He said many houses also had water levels rising up to their car porches, while some unfortunate residents even found the water levels rising up into their houses.
Among the badly affected areas were 8th mile to 9th Mile Penrissen Road, 7th Mile, Haji Baki, Semaba, Kampung Bumbok, Matang, Green Road, Jalan Mendu, Jalan Sekama, Hua Joo Park, Jalan Tun Haji Openg (Sarawak General Hospital), Jalan Jamboree Stakan, Kampong Sinar Budi, Desa Wira, Rantau Panjang.
Chong, who is also the Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman, said the three councils, namely Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and the Sarawak government should step up their efforts to resolve or at least mitigate these regular flash floods problem.
“Measures like regular clearing of clogged drains is the easiest and least costly way of mitigating the flash flood problem, yet it was not carried out regularly,” he said in a statement on Friday (Feb 16).
Other measures like constructing more water discharge outlets or enlarging the present water discharge outlets may be costlier but not impossible and surely not too difficult given the resources of the state government, both in manpower and financial capability.
He hoped that the state government would prioritise and put more efforts and finances into improving the drainage system in Kuching City.
