Caption – Dr. Brian Wong: Industrial park infrastructure must keep pace with industrial development.
KOTA KINABALU): Stable and well-developed infrastructure is essential for businesses to sustain operations, attract investment and drive industrial growth.
Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah Deputy Director of Commercial Affairs, Dr. Brian Wong, said the recent flooding at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) has once again highlighted the importance of long-term planning and resilient infrastructure in industrial areas.
He said that under the leadership of Datuk Dexter Lau, MCCC Sabah has consistently placed importance on a conducive business environment and the conditions necessary for sustainable business growth. The quality and reliability of infrastructure in industrial areas are among the key factors influencing business operations and investor confidence.
Dr. Brian Wong said flood mitigation in industrial parks should not rely solely on post-disaster measures, but should instead be addressed through more systematic and sustainable solutions that take into account industrial development, infrastructure capacity and evolving extreme weather patterns.
He said that as one of Sabah’s key industrial areas, KKIP’s ability to withstand extreme weather events is closely linked not only to the continuity of business operations, but also to investors’ confidence in Sabah’s business environment.
He pointed out that severe flooding in an industrial park can affect more than factories and warehouses, potentially disrupting production equipment, raw materials, inventory, vehicles and logistics operations. For manufacturing and trading businesses, the indirect losses arising from production disruptions and supply chain delays can sometimes exceed the direct physical damage caused by flooding.
“Businesses need a stable and predictable operating environment. If flooding becomes a recurring problem, the impact goes beyond one-off property losses and could affect production planning, supply chain stability, as well as decisions on future business expansion or additional investment.”
Dr. Brian Wong called for a comprehensive assessment of KKIP’s flood mitigation and drainage capacity, including the capacity of existing drainage systems, rainwater discharge efficiency, road drainage and surrounding water flow patterns. The assessment should also take into account the trend of increasingly extreme rainfall in recent years and determine whether existing infrastructure is adequate to meet future needs.
He stressed that infrastructure planning for industrial areas should not be based solely on historical rainfall and flood records, but should provide sufficient capacity and resilience to cope with future challenges.
“We need to plan based on future industrial development and climate trends, rather than carrying out repairs or remedial measures only after every flood occurs.”
He also called for stronger coordination among government agencies, industrial park management authorities and businesses, including the establishment of more effective flood warning and emergency response mechanisms. This would give businesses sufficient time to relocate vehicles, raw materials, equipment and important documents before water levels rise rapidly, thereby minimising potential losses.
Dr. Brian Wong said addressing flooding at KKIP should go beyond simply preventing inundation and focus on strengthening the overall resilience of the industrial ecosystem. Flood mitigation, drainage, roads and other public infrastructure should be incorporated into broader industrial planning to ensure that the industrial park can maintain basic operations during extreme weather events.
He hoped the recent flooding would serve as an opportunity for the relevant authorities to further enhance industrial infrastructure through inter-agency coordination and long-term planning, progressively strengthening KKIP’s flood resilience and creating a more stable, safe and resilient operating environment for businesses while further boosting investor confidence in Sabah’s industrial development prospects.
