BINTULU, January 30– The failure of the drainage system, especially in the Sungai Sibiew, has been identified as one of the main causes of the devastating floods that hit Bintulu after heavy rains continued for three days and two nights.

Bintulu Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, stated that the weaknesses of the existing infrastructure have prevented the Sungai Sibiew from draining excess water effectively.

This has caused the river level to rise rapidly and worsen the flood situation.

“The worst affected areas are around the Sungai Sibiew, due to the delay in the project to deepen and widen the river for almost five years.

"This situation is a clear reminder that relevant agencies need to be responsible and take immediate action," he said in a Facebook post.

He stressed that the project to deepen the Sungai Sibiew must be implemented immediately with a depth of between three and five metres and a width of up to 100 metres.

He said this was to ensure that it could accommodate the increased rainfall due to climate change.

In addition, the Sungain Kemena, which is directly connected to the sea, is also experiencing sediment problems that have caused the river to become shallower and make it difficult for boats to move.

Therefore, he suggested that the river deepening work be carried out immediately to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

He also appreciated the efforts of the rescue team that had been deployed to help the trapped residents, especially the elderly, women and children.

He stressed that long-term solutions must be implemented immediately to prevent this disaster from happening again.

"At the meeting with the Bintulu Resident's Office on February 10, I will emphasize the importance of deepening Sungai Sibiew and Sungai Kemena and propose stopping the construction of the bridge between Taman Jason and Taman Kemena Sutera to avoid disruption to the river deepening works," he said.

In addition, he also urged that the process of relocating squatters on the river banks be expedited to ensure that the river widening and deepening project can be carried out smoothly.

Residents are advised to limit outdoor activities and prioritize safety to avoid unwanted incidents due to the existing strong flood currents.