Tiang speaking to reporters during the press conference. Photo: Ghazali Bujang

ALL upcoming private housing developments in Sarawak will be required to comply with stricter and more technically-detailed flood-mitigation standards as the state intensifies efforts to address increasingly frequent flash floods.

Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang said the enhanced requirements implemented under the Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s (DID) Sub-Storm Initiative must be incorporated at the earliest planning stage of every new development.

He acknowledged that developers have raised concerns over rising costs, but stressed that the government cannot compromise on safety.

“We have to make sure all these sub-storm planning measures are built into all future projects,” he said during a press conference at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex today.

Tiang added that Sarawak has seen a rise in flash floods in recent years, with the most severe incident occurring in Bintulu earlier this year.

He attributed the trend to two main factors: climate change and rapid urbanisation, saying that while climate change is beyond human control, the state can act decisively on the urban development aspect by enforcing comprehensive mitigation measures such as flood-mitigation systems, dry ponds and other technical safeguards.

Tiang said retrofitting mitigation measures into existing built-up areas is often “very, very costly” and not a wise long-term solution.

“It is better to start from the very beginning, at the planning stages,” he added.