Mukah people say no sand dredging

MUKAH: Villagers of Kampung Litong in Mukah are strongly against the renewed sand dredging works at the mouth of the Mukah River for fear of soil erosion in the village.

Its Village Chief, Jamahari Sahli claims that if dredging work resumes in the area then ​​the village will sink and disappear from the world map.

“We are concerned about the future of our village and our children,” he complained. “We have taken up the matter with the authorities concerned but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears.”

Jamahari said that he and the other residents were not in principle against any party developing Mukah.

However, the future of the people in the village must also be taken into account, he added.

Apparently, dredging work was done at the river mouth before. However, on that occasion, the villagers successfully applied for a retaining wall to be built along the coast to reduce the impact of erosion.

“If there was no retaining wall, I believe the whole village would have been destroyed by severe soil erosion resulting in strong tidal waves from the ocean,” said Jamahari.

“During the monsoon season, the waves are usually strong, high and hit the river banks at Kampung Litong.”

If dredging resumes, more damage will occur in the area and it is possible that the retaining wall will sink into the river bed, he warned.

“There are already some effects in the area like the palm trees in the area disappearing, many jetties damaged and broken down and the continuing erosion of the river banks,” he said. - FMT