Kota Kinabalu MP urges Sabah to preserve Likas water catchment land

KOTA KINABALU – Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin is urging Sabah to retain a piece of land in Likas for water catchment in the area that had been rezoned for commercial development in 2000. 

He said the 16.21ha tract of land in the Likas lagoons was previously maintained as a flood mitigation asset to capture the water runoff from the Likas ridge along Tuaran road and the Likas residential areas from Mile 2 to Mile 4½.

“It shocked me to learn the information from SAPP nominated assemblyman Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, and I support Yong’s call that such land should be kept as a water retention pond to serve as an outlet for the surrounding areas during heavy rain.

“No reclamation should be allowed whatsoever by the local authorities in the Likas lagoons, including land which had been zoned for commercial development.

“It would be even better if the local authorities could reverse the commercial development zoning and convert the land into water retention ponds,” he said in a statement today. 

The DAP rep said the effects of climate change have become more serious, with more areas in Kota Kinabalu and Penampang being prone to floods, including Kolombong, Likas, Inanam, and Lido which had been inundated multiple times this year. 

He pointed out that it would be impossible to reverse excessive deforestation and poorly planned commercial development.

Chan suggested that the “only solution” for the government is to speed up flood protection measures by setting aside more lands for water retention ponds and pumps.

“In a written answer to my question, which I raised during the debate on December 2 on the Budget 2022 for the Environment and Water Ministry, even the ministry acknowledges that as the flood problem in Likas is influenced by the tides, the solution entails the construction of a barrage and the installation of pumps. 

“Regrettably, the possibility of setting up the Likas barrage is still being studied. I do not understand why it takes so long just to make a decision.

“The government can no longer afford to delay in handling the immediate impact of climate change – we do not want any more floods to occur, as that will certainly lead to a lot of property damage, and may even cause lives,” he stressed. 

Chan also said that the government must become more disciplined and not fall into temptations by developers to build more commercial properties.

He said that while the Likas lagoon may have a high commercial value, there is no point in allowing further developments in the area if the people are going to end up as flood victims. 

The opposition lawmaker also questioned if the state government had discreetly rezoned the said land. 

“Who gave the final approval to convert the zoning from a water catchment area into a commercial one? 

“It is time that the government disclose further information to the people of Kota Kinabalu in the name of transparency and accountability,” Chan said. – The Vibes, December 30, 2021