SEVERAL villagers in Kampung Tuarid Taud, Keningau, are on edge as their homes inch closer to being swept away by a fast-eroding riverbank.
Heavy rain over the past weeks has caused the embankment to collapse, raising concerns among residents who have long sought government intervention.
Raimin Rahimin, whose house is among those at risk, said the river’s strong currents are rapidly eating away at the land.
“Every time it rains, we worry that our home will be next. The riverbank is shrinking fast, and we have been asking for gabion walls to be installed for a long time, but nothing has been done,” he said in Pensiangan, 71 kilometres from Kota kinabalu.
The issue, residents say, has been flagged to the Bingkor Community Development Leader Unit (UPPM) and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), but no permanent solution has been implemented.
For now, Bingkor Warisan coordinator Benedict Martin Gunir has donated five boxes of gabions and a truckload of large stones to slow the erosion. While appreciated, villagers say it is only a temporary fix.
They worry that worsening climate conditions, with more frequent heavy rainfall, will further weaken the riverbank.
“We need urgent action before our homes are washed away,” said one resident. - January 31, 2025
