President
of SUPP, Senator Datuk Dr. Sim Kui Hian has come to the rescue of St.
Ann Catholic Church and the surrounding area where a drain needs to be
constructed as soon as possible to prevent flash flood at the Mile 10
area.The drainage system is to cost a sum of RM2 million and Dr. Sim agreed to ask for fund from the Federal government.
In a press conference yesterday after visiting the site of the church, Dr. Sim said the drainage has nothing to do with the church as the area was outside the church land and the local government did not have enough funding to assist the Padawan Municipal council to help. The drainage system need RM2 million to construct.
While taking a look at the site with Padawan Municipal Chairman, Lo Khere Chiang, the church representatives and the engineers involved, Dr. Sim said the present church site was not ideal as there was no proper church building.
He remembered that in the 60s, the congregation would gather in the small space to pray. As the population grew, Father Gerard Victor OFM would gather all the 2000 parishioners who would sit at the open space for their mass. In time of heavy rain, the huddled parishioners could hardly hear the mass due to zinc roofing.
Dr. Sim said although there was no facility, the people there have faith and it was on faith that they were able to start a new church nearby with a total cost of RM 12.5 million. He said he would try to get the federal to assist the church.
Sim said despite Padawan being three times the size of DBKU and MBKS put together, the allocation for the Padawan is far less that the two councils.
Earlier on, Padawan Chairman, Lo Khere Chiang said if the drainage is constructed, it will solve a lot of problem of flash flood in the surrounding area. He said the flash flood was terrible at the end of the year and there were lots of complains but he could not do much as the council knew that without the construction of the drainage system, the problem will always be there.
Lo said Father Gerard had wanted to construct the church since 9 years ago but due to lack of fund, the project was delayed until September 17 last year. The church is expected to be completed by April 16.
He added that many individuals including the congregation had put an effort to assist as much as they could. He said a civil engineer was asked to help out to draw the roofing of the church and he ended up paying for the roof which cost over RM1 million.
Lo hoped that the Federal government would come in to assist with the funding of the drainage soon so that they can solve the problem of flooding in the area.
4th from right, Lo with Dr. Sim pouring over the map of the area. Father Gerard is in brown robe the church
The present site where congregation sit in the open space for mass
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