PENAMPANG: The Sabah state government’s move to halt the export of timber temporarily is a strategy to tackle the issue of floods in the state.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said past logging activities had been instrumental in causing areas such as Penampang to become easily susceptible to floods.
“I have directed the Public Works Department to study whether flood mitigation is needed and can facilitate in resolving the problem in Penampang,” he told reporters after visiting the district flood operations room here on Friday.
He also said cooperation between the state government and Meteorological Department was crucial in ensuring swift evacuation of residents in flood prone areas.
Fourteen villages in Penampang have been inundated following heavy rain since Thursday. Other areas in the west coast of Sabah including Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Papar, Putatan and Kota Belud are also affected. – Bernama
