MUKAH: The residents staying at the eroded river banks of Kampung Datu, here, could envisage better days ahead following the construction of the retaining wall project sometimes this year.
It was due to the pre-emptive measure undertaken by Tellian State Assemblyman, Yussibnosh Balo, who wanted it to be implemented under the state’s Rural Transformation Project (RTP).
That move had been considered as necessary as the situation had been very critical that could affect the safety of the residents there.
With an allocation of RM700,000, the task had been shouldered by Mukah Division Drainage and Irrigation Department ( Mukah DID) and expected to take off in July this year.
DID Mukah Divisional Engineer Faizal bin Suki who was accompanied by Tellian State Constituency Special Officer, Felix Pieng visited the site on Wednesday morning.
Also present were an administrative officer from Mukah District Office Wan Hipeni bin Wan Mohamad, Penghulu Haji Besiri Haji Keri, KK Haji Mohamad bin Redzuan and the staff of Mukah DID.
When was approached by the media, Faizal disclosed that if everything was going on as planned they could implement the project sometimes in July this year.
“With that allocation, we would go for the first phase covering a length of about 35 to 40 metres. It is going to be a four-month project, and we hope to commende maybe sometimes in July this
year and hope to complete in October or before the wet season,” he said.
However, before the implementation, he added, they would be having a discussion with the villagers in the area.
“Before we implement it, we will sit down and have a dialogue with the residents and we hope they would give us an undivided cooperation so that the project could be implemented accordingly. We would do our best to avoid the sub-marine cable planted there,” he reiterated.
It is learnt that the river bank erosion had happened before the Independence and now about 30 metres of the bank had been eroded.
Hence, a reliable source pointed out the project had been considered as urgent which caused the state assemblyman to take that initiative though the whole project should have been undertaken by the federal government.
