NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT MEETING DISCUSSES FLOOD SOLUTIONS FOR SABAH, SARAWAK - AHMAD ZAHID

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, today chaired the first National Disaster Management High Level Community (HLC) Committee Meeting for this year.

The closed-door meeting, which began at 10 am, was also attended by the Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (KUSKOP) Datuk Ewon Benedick and heads of federal and state government departments and agencies.

Also present were the director-general of the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus and the Commander of the Eastern Field Command, Lt Gen Datuk Mohd Sofi Md Lepi.

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Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), said in a statement that the meeting discussed issues and solutions related to the flood disaster which afffected Sabah and Sarawak since January.

He said as an immediate step, the meeting had approved the construction of a Permanent Disaster Evacuation Centre (PPKB) in Long Busang in the Belaga district of Sarawak while for PPKB in other areas, NADMA would collaborate with the Ministry of Education (MOE).

He said that so far only one PPKB had been built in Johor, which was at the Taman Kota Jaya Multipurpose Hall, Kota Tinggi.

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"For the long-term mitigation plan, NADMA together with the Irrigation and Drainage Department will realise the implementation of the plan including utilising artificial intelligence (AI) and the latest technology, especially in disaster risk management and reduction," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said that in Sabah, a total of 14 flood mitigation plan projects would be implemented, with two flood mitigation projects completed and are in the defect liability period, two projects in the pre-implementation phase and 10 projects are under construction.

Meanwhile in Sarawak, 10 flood mitigation projects have been planned and two of them have been completed and are still in the defect liability period while two projects are under construction and six are in the pre-implementation phase.

He said the recent floods in Sabah involved 9,734 victims consisting of 3,120 heads of households (KIR) who have been relocated to 68 temporary evacuation centres (PPS).

The disaster has caused damage to several public infrastructures such as suspension bridges in the Kota Marudu and Pitas districts.

In Sarawak, the 2024/2025 Northeast Monsoon recorded the highest average rainfall of 900mm compared to the usual average rainfall of 450mm causing a flood disaster that affected 5,012 KIRs involving 16,670 victims who were relocated to 85 PPS, however 32,901 flood-affected families did not move to PPS.

Meanwhile, for the landslide victims in Kampung Lereng Bukit, Miri, a total of 60 KIR involving 209 victims are still being getting shelter at the Petronas Sports Village Hall.

"The Sarawak state government is identifying temporary housing areas to house these families to provide comfort to the elderly, children and pregnant mothers while waiting for Kampung Lereng Bukit to be rebuilt and the slope problem fixed.

"Sarawak estimates that 1,335 public infrastructure projects have been damaged and require immediate repair and maintenance as a result of the flood," he said.

-- BERNAMA