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‘Stretches of Ba’Kelalan-Long Semadoh Road just muddy tracks’

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Road users trying to pull out a vehicle which gets bogged in the mud along the Ba’Kelalan-Long Semadoh Road with ropes.
Road users trying to pull out a vehicle which gets bogged in the mud along the Ba’Kelalan-Long Semadoh Road with ropes.

KUCHING: Ba’kelalan State Assemblyman, Baru Bian yesterday revealed that the Ba’Kelalan-Long Semadoh Road in Miri Division had deteriorated to such an appalling state “that there was no visible sign that there had ever been a proper road.”

In his press statement released to New Sarawak Tribune, the State Assemblyman added: “Some parts of the road are now just muddy tracks, which even 4-wheel drives have difficulty negotiating. These vehicles get bogged in the mud and have to be pulled out with ropes.”

He pointed out that rural folks had the same rights and entitlements as urban folks to proper functioning basic facilities and roads were one such facility.

“Without proper road connectivity, people are cut off from major towns. In cases of medical emergencies, how will they reach the hospital?,” he asked.

At last month’s sitting of the State Legislative Assembly, Baru pointed out that the Minister for Infrastructure Development and Transportation, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing in reply to his question told the Assembly that RM1 mil had been approved for JKR (Public Works Department)  to carry out the maintenance and repair work.

“He also said that JKR would identify the critical stretches along the road and carry out the repair work immediately.

“To the disappointment of the people, until today, there has been no sign of any repair work on the road. In many of these stretches, repair work will not suffice – JKR will have to rebuild the entire stretch.”

Baru, who sent a few pictures of the road together with the press release, said: “The photos attached will show exactly the quality of this JiwaMurni road built with the so-called “Probest” technology. 

“In last year’s June sitting of the State Assembly, the minister defended the JiwaMurni projects, saying that the roads were designed to lower specs and lower safety features, and to fit in with the required timeframe and limited amount of funds available. The JiwaMurni roads cost an average of RM2 mil per km compared to RM5mil for a JKR R1 road. “

Baru added that after the roads were built by the Army and handed over, JKR was responsible for the maintenance

“But we are constantly being told that there are limited or no funds for repairs. This is what Minister Michael Manyin said in December 2015 in the DUN (State Assembly): ‘… there is no real allocation given to us from the Federal Government…’

“The Federal Works Minister is a Sarawakian and he should act on this. I urge the Chief Minister to press on with our demand for higher oil royalties and to reclaim all the revenue that should rightly belong to us that is now being paid into the Federal funds,” said Baru in his press statement.

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