Lee (left) is briefed by DID personnel at the site.

MIRI (July 25): The breakwater project at Kampung Batu Satu here will be rehabilitated and its design reevaluated to address the issue of debris accumulation and settlement of sand.

Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the accumulation of materials including wood chips and sand was affecting fishermen heading out to or coming back from sea.

“We have also instructed the Miri Division Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to reevaluate the current design of the project.

“The northern part of the breakwater may be closed to prevent the accumulation of black organic matter or wood chips later,” he said after inspecting the area on Tuesday.

The Senadin assemblyman said the area is affected by the Northeast Monsoon from January to March, which results in the accumulation of such materials at the coastal area.

“Affected fishermen had suggested that the northern part be closed to reduce the issue.

“Whereas, from April to December, the Southwest Monsoon will bring some sand from the south side, causing further blockages,” he said.

Lee called for the issue to be resolved without incurring unnecessary additional costs, saying DID will need to reexamine the structure of the breakwater project if the proposed closure is impractical.

The RM17 million coastal erosion control project for Kampung Batu Satu started in November 2020 and involved the construction of a 200-metre breakwater.

Funded by the federal government and supervised by DID, the project was completed in April.

However, the original design did not consider the inflow of wood chip debris and sand, resulting in shallow waters and hindering fishermen from catching fish.

“It is also hoped that the proposal to close the entrance in the northern part of the breakwater is an initial step to deal with the problem involved,” Lee added.

He called on the consulting team to find the best possible solution to ensure the breakwater works effectively without affecting the local fishing industry.