Jabu slammed for not knowing his duties

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, July 30, 2014: Call it a joke.

State Welfare Department has distributed two boxes of mineral water to each family in Betong, Roban, Debak, Saratok and Pulau Bruit which have been hit hard by dry spell for more than a month.

And State PKR vice chairman See Chee How (centre, picture) blamed Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu as chairman of the State disaster and relief management committee for failing to "apprehend the severe impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon."

"As chairman of the committee, he  appears not to apprehend the severe impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon.

"The distribution of bottled drinking water and instructions for cloud seeding are knee-jerk response which are readily predictable.

"He should immediately call for an emergency meeting of all relevant authorities including the Health and Medical Department, Department of Environment, Welfare Department, Drainage and Irrigation Department, Public Works Department, National Security Council and all enforcement agencies and local authorities to look into the problems of poor air quality in the state, impending lengthy dry spell and most importantly, the systematic and sustainable supply of clean water to all the drought hit areas.

"By addressing this looming state crisis, the state government’s policies on land use, development plans, our governance and administration, functioning of departments and agencies and state logistics and machineries will be put to test and the shortcomings must be addressed.

"As of today, the areas with API (Air Pollutant Index) readings of unhealthy level are Sibu and Sri Aman, whereas those approaching the unhealthy levels are Kuching, Samarahan, Sarikei, Bintulu and Miri.

"This is not a good sign as there are only 10 API reading stations in Sarawak.

"It is also reported and heard that drought has hit Sarawak, and most coastal regions particularly Saratok, Roban, Betong, Balingian, Simunjan, Sebuyau are suffering from dry taps and not even rainwater and stream water to collect," he added.

He said: “Despite the warning of El Nino weather phenomenon being issued globally last year, with Sarawak and Sabah being predicted to be the worst hit states in Malaysia, the Sarawak State disaster and relief management committee is once again a complete let-down as it has just had its first meeting last week and it has failed to put in place measures to mitigate the impacts and plan for the prolonged dry spell.”

See accused Jabu of playing down the problem, saying that only the districts and sub-districts of Saratok, Roban, Spaoh, Debak, Pulau Bruit and coastal areas in Betong are facing water scarcity, and the Welfare Department is distributing two boxes of drinking water to each family in the affected areas.

In fact, he said, more than half of the districts and sub-districts in Sarawak are facing water crisis, and how long can two boxes of drinking water sustain a family?

See advised Jabu to invite more government departments and agencies to the meeting to analyse the risks and impacts and to ensure that a serious and commensurate effort is put in to address the emergency situation.

He added that the state government should realise that the El Nino weather phenomenon and the prolonged dry spell is a tough challenge on the machineries of the state.

"It is misguided when the Department of Nature Resources and Environment has yet to issue a notice to stop open burning even as of today," he said.

See urged the Health and Medical Department to check and monitor all the water catchments and water treatment plants to ensure their sustainability and safety.

"Alternative sources must be identified if those existing water catchment and water treatment plants have dried up or were polluted. Such instances of Lichok Water treatment plant in Saratok and Ngeli water treatment plant in Simunjan drying up while the alternatives are yet to constructed is  unacceptable," he said.

See said that the Health and Medical officers must also be vigilant to issue health alerts for prevention of disease outbreaks linked to drought in all hospitals and clinics, especially those in the rural districts and to ensure that there are sufficient supply of medication and trained medical officers to be despatched for relief and operations.

He added the Public Works Department must take stock of the reserves and sustainability period of raw water in each division and co-ordinate efforts between the divisional offices to provide logistics to distribute raw water to those divisions which are suffering water shortages, for them to treat and supply to the households.

He also urged the Agricultural Department and the Department of Drainage and Irrigation to formulate plans for irrigation to ensure that food production in the state will not be adversely affected by the dry spells.

"The State Government should also look into the needs of the Police and Fire and Rescue Department for sufficiency and special up-to-date equipments and the logistics in their preparation to deal with forest fires, especially in the peat areas.

"While cloud seedings are necessary, the national security council should immediately initiate trans-national mechanism to address the increasing hot-spots in neighbouring Kalimantan and to ready funding support for the state’s remedial actions to combat haze and drought in Sarawak and Sabah," See stressed.