WARISAN has taken aim at what they call the sluggish response of authorities to the floods and landslides that have battered Penampang over the past week, saying government leaders have failed to learn from past disasters.
Vice President Terrence Siambun said residents were left anxious and cut off as roads collapsed and villages became isolated, yet there was still no sign of a structured response plan.
“The people are in fear, but what is even more worrying is the government’s failure to show an organised reaction,” he said.
In Moyog, he noted, major floods have become an annual occurrence, sometimes twice a year.
“What mitigation steps has the Penampang District Disaster Management Committee actually taken? Do they have a real preparedness plan or only one that exists on paper? How long must the people remain victims?” Siambun asked.
The remarks come after a 97-year-old man was killed when his home in Kampung Sarapung was buried in a landslide last week, and as fresh slides continue to hit Papar and Kota Kinabalu. Warisan leaders say these tragedies underline not just natural risks but failures in governance.
Deputy President Darell Leiking had earlier called for drainage and sewerage maintenance contracts to be reviewed transparently, pointing to flash floods in Penampang, Putatan, Sepanggar and Kota Kinabalu as the result of poorly maintained drains.
“The government must disclose who these contractors are, how much they were paid, and whether the work was really done,” Leiking said.
Terrence added that many Sabahans were now relying more on Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram to find out which roads were cut and which shelters were open, rather than on official channels.
“Communities are proving more responsive than the official system. There should be a 24-hour disaster control centre with a clear hotline, not villagers left to update each other,” he said.
Still, both Terrence and Warisan Penampang Warisan chief Jeffrey Leiking paid tribute to frontliners from the Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Force, as well as NGOs and volunteers who rushed in with supplies and aid.
“We met many volunteers who came regardless of distance. This is the true spirit of Sabahans — helping each other in times of hardship,” they said.
But the party insisted that ad hoc relief is not enough.
Jeffrey warned that government leaders often arrive only after tragedies, more for photo opportunities than solutions.
“Post-disaster aid is important, but what matters more is how the government responds when disaster begins, and how it prevents the same thing from happening again. This is not the first time Penampang has been hit, so why the surprise?” he asked.
Warisan urged the government to prepare a disaster action plan grounded in rainfall data and weather patterns, and to tighten enforcement on hill cutting and highland development.
They also called for regular drills in every district so residents know where to go and who to contact when disaster strikes.
“This is no longer just a natural event but a systemic failure born of weak administration.
“If the government fails to act immediately, the people will continue to suffer,” said Siambun. - September 15, 2025
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