PETALING JAYA: Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has pledged to avoid a recurrence of the catastrophic flooding throughout his constituency by pledging to deepen the riverbeds of the Sungai Sibiew and Sungai Kemena respectively.
“After three days and two nights of relentless heavy rain, Bintulu has been severely inundated, with widespread flooding affecting numerous areas.
“In the worst-hit locations, water levels have risen to nearly the second floor of residential buildings.
“Many flood victims, particularly the elderly, women, and children, have been left stranded in their homes, awaiting rescue,” he said in his Facebook post, today.
In his post, Tiong who is pictured leading to flood victim rescue operations, opined that while some parties attribute the catastrophic floods to natural causes, others point to inadequacies in infrastructure.
“We cannot ignore the possibility that human factors have exacerbated the severity of the flooding.
“Issues such as flaws in Bintulu’s drainage system have prevented Sungai Sibiew from effectively discharging excess water, causing a rapid surge in river levels.
“The strong currents have further complicated rescue operations, increasing risks for both victims and responders.
“The worst-affected areas are clearly those surrounding Sungai Sibiew, which is a direct consequence of the long-overdue deepening and widening of the riverbed,” he said.
Tiong who is also Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister said the riverbed project for Sungai Sibiew has remained a mere proposal for nearly five years, with no actual progress.
“This devastating flood should serve as an urgent warning—relevant agencies must take responsibility.
“I have repeatedly emphasised that the river must be deepened by at least three to five metres and widened to 100 metres to accommodate increasing rainfall due to climate change.
“Only by doing so can we prevent such disasters from recurring,” he said.
He also pointed out that the riverbed of Sungai Kemena, which connects directly to the sea, must also be deepened.
“Severe sedimentation has resulted in its gradual shallowing, making it increasingly difficult for boats to navigate.
“During the upcoming meeting at the Resident’s Office on 10 February, I will again stress the urgency of deepening and widening these two rivers.
“Additionally, I will propose halting the bridge’s construction connecting Taman Jason and Taman Kemena Sutera to prevent disruptions to the riverbed works,” he said.
He also said the relocation of residents living in illegal settlements along both riverbanks must also be expedited to facilitate the deepening and widening efforts.
“Their continued residence in these areas poses significant safety risks.”
Tiong also expressed his appreciation to the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) for promptly activating its 24-hour emergency response mechanism.
“Through close coordination with the Resident’s Office, the relevant authorities—including the Fire and Rescue Department, Malaysia Civil Defence Department, the military, and the police—have been swiftly mobilised to carry out rescue and relief efforts in affected areas.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to Sarawak Deputy Premier and SDMC Chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, as well as all rescue personnel and relief teams.
“Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the members of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and the P217 Bintulu Service Centre team for stepping up in this crucial moment.
“They immediately deployed search and rescue boats to the affected areas to evacuate stranded residents and assist in relocating them to the five designated flood relief centres.
“Given the severity of the flooding, additional personnel from the Fire and Rescue Departments in Sibu, Miri, Labuan, and Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) have been mobilised to assist in disaster relief efforts.
“They departed overnight and are expected to arrive in Bintulu tomorrow. Meanwhile, two speedboats from the PDP’s Central Region Disaster Relief Task Force will also be deployed to support rescue operations,” he added.
“During the long hours of rescue operations, many stranded residents expressed their concerns to me, stating that the severity of this flood is, in part, due to the inadequacy of local infrastructure.
“The inability of the rivers to accommodate the sheer volume of rainwater has led to this devastating disaster.
“Today (Yesterday) marks the first (second) day of the Chinese New Year. Many homes were adorned with festive red decorations in anticipation of joyful family reunions.
“However, a relentless downpour has destroyed these homes, causing immense financial losses and forcing families to wait helplessly in relief centres for the floodwaters to recede before returning to scenes of devastation.
“We cannot allow the people of Bintulu to suffer such hardship again. The deepening and widening of these two rivers must commence without further delay to mitigate the risk of flash floods,” he added.
