TENOM: Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the Tenom flood mitigation project will continue despite concerns from villagers whose homes fall outside the main construction alignment.
He said the matter was explained during a dialogue session with residents, alongside the Sabah Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS), to address questions over the project’s scope and progress.
Jamawi said JPS would propose a second phase to the Federal Government to cover outlying areas, including widening river sections and deepening former dead-river channels that now form new waterways.
He added that residents of three affected villages, including Kampung Ului, Kampung Makakagas and Kampung Binaie, were worried about rising water levels during major floods, with studies showing water could increase by up to 12 inches without further excavation works.
Jamawi also encouraged villagers to boost their income through the Ministry’s upcoming “Kebun Dapur” programme, saying many were already taking it up enthusiastically as a practical way to support their households.
