Sebastian Ting: Emergency Allocation of 5 Million for Repairing Damaged Roads at Lutong Beach

(Miri, 10th) Sarawak Deputy Minister of Tourism and Pelawan State Assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting held a press conference this afternoon to explain the issue of Lutong Beach being eroded by waves and announced that he has successfully secured emergency funding to commence repair works as soon as possible to ensure public safety.

 Sebastian Ting stated that due to strong winds and big waves in recent days, parts of the Lutong coastline have been seriously eroded, threatening nearby roads and residents' safety. He revealed that he had already reported the issue to the federal minister on January 16, urging for emergency measures to be taken.

"Last night, I submitted another report to the relevant departments, and received a swift response. At 10:19 this morning, the government officially approved the commencement of temporary repair works and directed for them to start as soon as possible," he said.

He stressed that the original coastal protection project was expected to cost 45 million ringgit and was completed in planning on January 31. However, as the project approval process takes several months, he specifically requested a 5 million ringgit emergency allocation to prioritize road reinforcement and safety protection work.

Interdepartmental Coordination Ensures Residents' Safety

To expedite the progress of the project, the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee and Miri Disaster Management Committee have intervened, and Miri Mayor, City Council, police, and other units have also joined in the coordination work to ensure the repair works proceed smoothly.

“Miri police have been instructed to set up warning signs at dangerous sections to remind the public to stay away from high-risk areas. I will continue to follow up on the progress to ensure residents' safety.”

Striving for Long-term Solutions to Prevent Recurrence of Disasters

In addition to temporary repair measures, Sebastian Ting emphasized that the government will continue to promote long-term solutions, including strengthening seawall construction and coastal protection projects to prevent similar disasters from recurring.

“Currently, we are striving for larger-scale funding to comprehensively enhance the protection capacity of the area to ensure long-term safety of coastal roads and residential zones.”

He called on the local residents to remain vigilant and follow the safety guidelines issued by the authorities to avoid accidents. Meanwhile, he promised to continue paying attention to the development of the situation and ensure repair works proceed as planned.