MUAR: Hundreds of hectares of oil palm estates in Kampung Sungai Pulai Laut are dying as a delay in repairing a broken embankment has allowed sea water to wash into the village.

Mosque official Mohd Basri Marjani said the problem began about six months ago when a stretch of the embankment along the coast collapsed.

He said the damaged stretch, over four metres, allowed sea water from the Straits of Malacca to encroach agriculture plots in the village.

Reports were lodged with the Muar Drainage and Irrigation Department, which engaged a contractor to repair the stretch at the end of last year. Mohd Basri, however, said villagers were fed up with the slow progress.

He added that during high tide or after heavy rain, several houses near the coastal area would be flooded.

Aggravating the problem was a watergate which prevented flood waters from flowing to the sea.

Muar DID officer Rehan Ahmad said he had told the contractor to buck up or risk losing the RM100,000 job. -The Star, ANN