Yap (third right) with DID Sarawak officers and the contractor at Lorong 3 of Jalan Stakan.

KUCHING (Aug 20): The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) has agreed to install new fencing for a house at Lorong 3 of Jalan Stakan here, where the Stakan River Flood Mitigation Project is being implemented.

In stating this, Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap said this agreement was reached during his visit to the site yesterday after the house owner requested that the DID and its contractor would repair the fence, said to have been damaged during the flood mitigation works.

“We visited Lorong 3 at Jalan Stakan to monitor the progress of the Stakan River Flood Mitigation Project, currently overseen by DID Sarawak.

“I also approached an elderly woman residing at No 20, Jalan Stakan who apologised to me that there was a misunderstanding by (Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant) Michael Kong in his recent statement as she never approached me, Penghulu Lai Boon Khee and Kapitan Lee Tho Fung regarding her complaint of a small toilet located at the back of her house, claimed to have been damaged during the works carried out by DID Sarawak’s contractors.

“The elderly women informed that she lodged her complaint to a community leader who was not from Mile 7, Kota Sentosa,” said Yap in a statement, issued following the visit.

He said the DID officers had informed him that the elderly woman’s septic tank had been repaired and water discharge piping into a feeder drain had been installed.

Yap said they also informed that there were about 14 houses built on the river reserve and the government land without septic tanks, with the waste being discharged directly into the river.

“Some of these houses are constructed on river reserve land. I have requested DID to work out the bill of quantities with MPP (Padawan Municipal Council) and submit their written request for financial assistance under RTP (Rural Transformation Programme) funding,” said the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) lawmaker.

Yap also appealed to DID officers to be proactive in closely monitoring and supervising their contractor so that all problems arising from the project implementation could ‘be quickly fixed’ so as to ensure minimal inconveniences to all parties.

Yap made the site visit after Kong had issued statements on the complaints brought up to him (Kong) by the residents at Lorong 3 at Jalan Stakan recently.

“Following the issue I raised last week regarding the damaged toilet at No 20, Jalan Stakan, I was approached by an elderly gentleman who shared his own troubling experience with the ongoing construction work in the area.

“This incident highlights yet another example of negligence that must not go unnoticed,” said Kong in a statement earlier.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) man also called upon the MPP and DID Sarawak to address the matter as failure to do so would erode public trust in their ability in managing projects responsibly and fairly.