Kundasang disaster risk: Fed, state govts must work together, says Kurup

Kota Kinabalu - Federal and Sabah governments must collaborate to reduce disaster risks in Kundasang, according to Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup. Climate change and natural causes have heightened the risks in the region over the years. Kurup stressed the need to balance conservation with development requirements.

He mentioned that about 90% of buildings in Kundasang lack an occupation certificate. The Minerals and Geoscience Department under his ministry could monitor tectonic activities and slope movements, providing early warnings. However, he emphasized the importance of coordinating with the state to ensure all constructions adhere to safety standards.

Following a recent NST report titled "Kundasang's beauty under threat", Kurup discussed the Sabah Minerals and Geoscience Department's findings on the impact of human activities, climate change, and earthquakes on Kundasang's terrain. The department's simulations indicated that, in a worst-case scenario, debris flows in the Mesilou catchment area could reach depths of 25 meters before depositing sediment near populated areas downstream.

Kurup expressed hope that funds from the proposed National Adaptation Fund could eventually be used to expand early warning systems, geospatial monitoring, and satellite surveillance in areas prone to natural hazards like Kundasang. He suggested that the carbon tax, which would be collected from the cement, energy, and steel sectors, could be allocated to this fund.

Although the finance ministry controls the carbon tax, Kurup stressed that his ministry can introduce the policy and framework for its use. He also highlighted the potential for improved coordination with agencies such as the National Disaster Management Agency and the effective use of the carbon tax for enhancing early warning systems and geospatial monitoring in Kundasang. The carbon tax will only be implemented once the necessary institutional framework is established.