Miri Disaster Management Committee Launches Major Flood Area Cleanup Plan, 1058 People Cleaned Over 125 Tons of Garbage

(Miri, 18th) The Minister in charge of the Miri Disaster Management Committee and Sarawak Transport Minister, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, pointed out that the "Large-scale Flood Area Cleanup and Reconstruction Plan" initiated by the Miri Disaster Management Committee since February 6th has made significant progress. The plan, which united the government, enterprises, NGOs, and over a thousand volunteers, carried out post-disaster cleanup and reconstruction in 16 severely affected kampongs in Miri, with a total of 1058 participants cleaning 125.56 tons of garbage.

 

He told the media after attending the meeting today that the provincial office would coordinate with the Land and Survey Department, City Council, Drainage and Irrigation Department, and Public Works Department to hold meetings and conduct field inspections on some drainage-blocked areas to develop solutions.

 

He pointed out that recent flood investigations found that several streams and drainage ditches were blocked by sediment or vegetation, causing drainage obstruction and worsening the flood situation. Therefore, the relevant departments have started cleanup work to improve the drainage system.

 

He said that today’s meeting is the last meeting related to the Miri flood, and all garbage in the flood-affected areas has been completely cleared. He particularly thanked all the volunteers, including government departments, enterprises, and NGOs, for jointly promoting this community cleaning action. Successfully removing all garbage within a short week from February 6th to 16th.

 

"For example, in the Senadin area, 75 trucks were dispatched to complete the garbage removal, which has been handed over to the City Council for management. The City Council must ensure that these areas are not affected by floods again and replan the waste disposal system to avoid random garbage disposal."

 

He suggested that the City Council restore large garbage bin services to facilitate proper garbage disposal by residents, preventing the accumulation of garbage from affecting the environment and traffic. In addition, the City Council should systematically clean the garbage and debris accumulated in the drainage ditches to ensure smooth drainage.

 

He emphasized that another key task is to repair road potholes damaged by floods to ensure public safety. Currently, the City Council and Public Works Department have launched relevant maintenance work.

 

Meanwhile, he also paid attention to the beach pollution issue, pointing out that garbage flows from the drainage ditches into rivers, then washed out to sea, and ultimately brought back to the coast by waves.

 

He announced that a city-wide coastal cleanup operation would be initiated this Sunday, covering Shell Recreation Park, Luak Esplanade, and Miri Waterfront Park, with the City Council evaluating the garbage situation and arranging the cleanup.

 

He mentioned that regarding housing development issues, the provincial office discovered, through Google Maps and field investigations, that some streams were filled, affecting drainage. To solve this problem, the provincial office will convene the Land Department, City Council, and Public Works Department to conduct investigations to prevent future flooding.

 

In addition, the committee thanks the community for their support, having received a total of RM406,720 in donations from enterprises and individuals.

 

Today, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin also handed over a personal donation of RM1,720 from the Chinese New Year dinner to the Miri Disaster Management Committee and expressed heartfelt gratitude to all donors and volunteers for their contributions.

 

This cleanup operation focused on "community cleanliness," mobilizing residents and volunteers to clean affected houses, roads, and public facilities. Over 20 institutions, including the Miri District Office, City Council, Fire Department, Police, Civil Defense Force, PETRONAS, Sunway Group, and Shin Yang Group, provided equipment support, deploying 19 excavators, 34 trucks, and 14 large garbage bins, significantly enhancing cleanup efficiency.

 

According to recorded statistics, on February 6th, 434 volunteers cleaned 28.58 tons of garbage in Kampung Bakas Sg Adong and unclogged main drainage channels. On February 8th, the single-day cleaning volume in Kampung Bakas Tanjong Batu reached 68.3 tons, setting a record high. On February 11th, Desa Senadin and Damai Jaya cleared 5.05 tons. On February 16th, Kampung Tudan Desaras, Bakas 4 to 9 regions, and 10 other areas took synchronized action, with 451 participants cleaning 23.63 tons of garbage.