DEVELOPER SUGGESTS NEW TOWNSHIP BE BUILT ON HIGHER GROUND TO CURB FLOOD WOE

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SIBU (Sarawak, Malaysia), Aug 25 (Bernama) -- A prominent housing and property
developer here has suggested a new township be developed on a higher ground to
mitigate Sibu town's perennial flood woes.

Joseph Ting King Sung, Vice-President of Sarawak Housing and Real Estate
Developers’ Association (SHEDA), said the proposed township must be at least
10km away from Sibu town's present locality.

"With proper planning of roads, drainage system and infrastructure
facilities, it should be conducive for flood-free and stress-free living," he told
reporters here Tuesday night. Sibu is a town in East Malaysia state of Sarawak.

Ting said the government's current flood mitigation efforts to raise road levels
were not the best solution as the roads might have been built on soft peat soil
which was very common here.

"Earth-filling approach for houses in low-lying areas will also push up house
prices in the areas. Sibu town is sitting on low-lying Rejang Basin which is
fertile for planting paddy but unsuitable for building houses.

"As such, it is exposed to frequent flash floods, which affected the town's
general economy," he said.
-- BERNAMA