Fadillah said the construction of the canal is one of the proposals for the flood mitigation project, which is currently in the pipeline. – Photo by Nur Shazreena Ali

KUCHING (March 9): A canal to divert water from the Sarawak River to Batang Salak River will be constructed to solve the flooding issue in Kuching, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Speaking to the reporters after attending a ceremony in Kampung Malaysia Jaya today,  he said the construction of the canal is one of the proposals for the flood mitigation project, which is currently in the pipeline.

“With this canal, the water channel will be split into two and will no longer be concentrated in the Sarawak River alone.

“But (the water) will also go to other areas in Sungai Salak,” the Petra Jaya MP said when asked on the recent flooding issues here in Kuching.

Fadillah said the design of the canal is being carried out by the Sarawak Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), and once the design is completed would be open for the tendering process.

“The project is currently in the planning stage. What we want to do is to divide the water volume so that the water will not only concentrate in the Sarawak River, but also to other areas in the Salak River.

“Hopefully with the completed design, and since we have already appointed the consultant for the tender, we hope the  project can begin next year,” he said, adding that the flood mitigation projects in the state will be carried out in phases, depending on the availability of funds.

Fadillah also said that the Sibu Flood Mitigation Plan was one of the examples that had solved flood issues.

“For example, the completion of several pump stations in Sibu. It was part of the Sibu Flood Mitigation project. That is why today, we did not hear so much about flash floods in Sibu,” he said.