Speaking to reporters while visiting flood-hit areas in the district, Shafie said he would ask the incoming Works Minister, a position still vacant, to visit the state.
“If the flood mitigation project can resolve this problem quickly then we will speed up the project. The only issue now is how to release the water, which remains stagnant. This worries us (especially) when the tide is high,” he said.
Penampang was one of several districts severely flooded following a downpour at the height of the month-long harvest festival or Kaamatan on May 31.
Other areas where water levels rose to an alarming height were Papar, Tuaran, Sepanggar and Kota Belud.
Shafie said extensive logging was one of the factors for the major flooding in Penampang. “Of course this (logging) is not the main reason but it is one of the areas we should look at closely to avoid such incidents from recurring,” he said.
The state government recently placed a temporary ban on log exports while review logging activities.
Shafie was happy that many volunteers had helped the flood victims. “I was briefed by Penampang MP Darell Leiking as well as the reps for Moyog and Kapayan, Jenifer and Jannie Lasimbang, that the volunteers had a big hand in relief efforts,” he said.
Shafie also visited Sepanggar where 100 houses in Kg Rampayan were affected by flood. He was accompanied by Sepanggar MP Azis Jamman.