PENAMPANG: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated that RM800 million is necessary to implement Packages 2 and 4 of the Penampang flood mitigation project.
He said that this additional allocation will be incorporated into the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13).
He said that several flood mitigation plan packages have been executed, but there are still incomplete packages that need to be addressed to tackle flooding issues in the Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, and Putatan areas.
“We require up to RM800 million in additional funding to be included in the 13th Malaysia Plan for implementation,” he said.
Zahid told reporters these after visiting the RTB project in the Lido area of Kota Kinabalu today.
Accompanying him was the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, who is also the Member of Parliament for Penampang, Datuk Ewon Benedick.
The Lido Flood Mitigation Plan includes the construction of retention ponds and pumping systems to prevent tidal water intrusion, forming part of the Integrated River Basin Development program for the Moyog River, which encompasses the districts of Penampang, Putatan, and Kota Kinabalu.
The project is scheduled for completion this March; however, the responsible contractor has been granted an extension until June next year due to delays in project completion.
When asked about the delays, Ahmad Zahid attributed them to utility relocations and land acquisition issues.
