FEDERAL GOV'T ALLOCATES RM1 MLN TO REBUILD DAMAGED SUSPENSION BRIDGES IN PENAMPANG, TUARAN

SANDAKAN, July 21 (Bernama) -- The federal government has agreed to rebuild the suspension bridges in Penampang and Tuaran that were damaged by floods, with an allocation of RM1 million through the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the reconstruction of the bridges is in response to the urgent need for transportation routes for the local communities in both districts.

"This immediate action is a proactive measure following the floods that struck several districts starting on June 30.

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"According to the detailed reports received, the incident affected the lives of 485 victims in both districts and Putatan," he said in a statement after attending a briefing on the disaster and the financial report of Sabah by the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee here today.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said he has directed the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) to make available three sets of Bailey Bridges, each 39 metres long, capable of bearing loads of up to 50 tonnes at a time.

He said this facility is a preparatory measure, in case there is an urgent need to replace collapsed bridges.

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He added that the Department of Minerals and Geosciences (JMG) has also been instructed to conduct studies in landslide areas near the Mount Kinabalu foothills in Mesilau, Kundasang following continuous heavy rain on June 23, and NADMA will be coordinating this to identify necessary actions.

JMG has also been directed to place movement sensors on the slopes of Mount Kinabalu’s foothills and in areas frequented by residents and tourists.

"The Public Works Department (JKR) has also been advised to carry out more frequent inspections and identify roads that are cut off," he said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the federal government has allocated RM10 million to address the impact of drought across the country, with Sabah being one of the affected states.

He said the drought was reported to have started in mid-March and ended in mid-May, resulting in a shortage of clean water supply in several villages.

Ahmad Zahid said the government is very concerned about the plight of farmers in Sabah whose crops did not yield as expected due to the hot weather.

According to him, the federal government initiated cloud seeding operations (OPA) in Sabah at the end of March.

"This is part of the government's coordinated efforts to mitigate the impact of hot weather in affected areas, and a second OPA will be carried out if it is found that the situation has not fully recovered.

"The federal government hopes all these efforts will be effective in helping Sabahans deal with the impact of floods and drought in the future," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said all necessary steps and actions will be taken as needed, as the well-being of the people of Sabah is always a priority.

-- BERNAMA