Fadillah during a visit to the Sungai Miri Flood Mitigation Plan project at Kampung Pangkalan in Lutong.

MIRI (July 4): The federal government has approved 52 Cakna Madani projects worth RM9.46 million for Sarawak, as part of efforts to fast-track flood mitigation works across the state, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof.

Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said the allocation falls under Rolling Plan 1 of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) for 2026.

“Of the 52 projects, 12 have been completed, 13 are under implementation, and the remaining 27 are at the pre-implementation stage,” he said after the ground-breaking ceremony for riverbank stabilisation works at Tab Cinaq Cemetery here, one of the 52 projects.

The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister described the projects as “low-hanging fruit” designed to deliver immediate benefits to residents as part of ongoing federal flood mitigation efforts.

The Tab Cinaq Cemetery works, located in Pujut 5 and valued at RM134,682, began in May 2026 and are expected to be completed by this November.

“The project’s main scope involves the construction of a 50-metre gabion wall to stabilise the riverbank, reduce erosion, and protect infrastructure and the cemetery grounds from the risk of bank collapse,” he said.

Fadillah added that the federal government, through the ministry, has approved flood mitigation projects in Sarawak worth a total of RM3.834 billion, covering 29 projects statewide.

During the same visit, he was briefed on the progress of the Sungai Miri Flood Mitigation Plan (RTB), a RM31 million project within the Sungai Miri basin.

Physical works began in October 2023 and have reached 58.11 per cent completion, with full completion targeted for November 2026.

“Make sure the project is completed in November,” he told the contractor during the briefing, adding that he was assured the timeline was achievable.

“There were soft soil challenges faced in this project but this has been resolved with iron piles,” he said at a press conference earlier.

The Sungai Miri RTB project includes consultancy services, preliminary works, utility relocation, and construction of flood mitigation components such as a tide wall, retention ponds, upgraded drainage systems, a pump house, flood control gates, a rubbish trapping system, as well as mechanical and electrical works and project management.

RTB projects in Miri also include coastal and riverbank protection works.

Also present were State Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin; Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts Chiew Choon Man; State Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Sebastian Ting; Miri Mayor Adam Yii, DID Sarawak director Dato Ir Ahmad Denney Ahmad Fauzi, and Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry officials.