The historic old nurses’ quarters at Jalan Crookshank, Kuching. – File photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad

KUCHING (March 20): The RM10 million water retention pond (SUStoM) project at Jalan Crookshank here is set to resume after being halted due to heritage preservation concerns surrounding the old nurses’ quarters buildings.

Sarawak Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Deputy Director Law Wee assured that the SUStoM Pond project would significantly benefit the surrounding areas, particularly in mitigating flood issues near the Sarawak General Hospital.

“The estimated cost for this project is RM10 million, and we will construct the SUStoM pond in this area.

“We have agreed to preserve the old building as a heritage site while demolishing newer structures built after the original quarters to facilitate the pond’s construction,” he said.

He was speaking at a press conference during a site visit to the old nurses’ quarters site here today.

Also present were Deputy State Secretary (Economic Planning and Development) Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel and Sarawak Heritage Society (SHS) President Datin Rosemarie Wong-Jabu.

The project was temporarily halted in August last year after the DID issued a stop-work order following an appeal from SHS to preserve the historic nurses’ quarters site.