Sarawak flood victims demand compensation for damaged crop, vehicles

FLOOD victims in rural Sarawak are demanding financial compensation from the Gabungan Parti Sarawak state government for the massive losses suffered due to the floods that hit them eight times already this year.

Social and environmental activist Harry Wing said the past three days of severe floods in Kapit and Sarikei have seen tonnes of crops destroyed, vehicles and many household items like generators and electrical appliances damaged.

He said this is the eighth serious flood for this year already.

"The floods are no longer just because of the landas season (year-end monsoon). Each time it rains nonstop for a day or two, serious floods occur.

"The GPS politicians have been saying they are concerned about these flood woes but they have not even carried out any mitigation projects.

"What is the point of expressing concern repeatedly without mitigating the problems we are suffering from?

"The GPS government must compensate all flood victims for the heavy losses," said Wing.

Yesterday, a state government assemblyman in central Sarawak expressed alarm that the flash floods in Kapit district were so severe.

Pelagus state assemblyman Wilson Nyabong said the floods rose so swiftly that longhouses, schools, government buildings and roads were inundated within one or two hours.

The exact number of people affected is still being determined as land access to the deeper interiors are still cut off by the floods. - November 30, 2024