The damaged part of the Kota Kinabalu-Keningau road.
KOTA KINABALU: The Public Works Department (PWD) will immediately repair roads and slopes in the state which were damaged during the non-stop rain since Thursday.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said most of the sealed roads which collapsed on Friday were under the purview of government-appointed concessionaires and they had been instructed to repair them immediately.
PWD, the Works Minister said, has also requested the concessionaires to build alternative road(s) should the repairs cannot be carried out immediately so that road users will not be inconvenienced.
Commenting on the part of the Kota Kinabalu-Keningau road which collapsed during the wet spell, Bung Moktar said it was a federal road that is under the concession of Lintasan Resources Sdn Bhd which is now repairing the road and has constructed an alternative road for road users.
“I have also received reports of damaged roads in several districts and rest assured, PWD has asked the appointed concessionaires to carry out immediate remedial works,” he said.
On the allegations that the Pan Borneo highway project had caused roads to be flooded, Bung Moktar said the project’s contractor had been instructed to monitor the situation and to clear up all the existing drains along the highway so that water can flow out.
For the slope failures and collapsed roads under PWD’s purview that do not involve high repair costs, clearing works are being carried out, he added.
“As the weather is unpredictable nowadays, I have asked all district PWD engineers to constantly monitor roads that are at risk so that the road users’ safety is protected.
“The ministry is always on the lookout for issues like this and will implement follow-up action on every report submitted,” he said and urged road users during the rainy season so that unwanted incidents do not happen.
“If floods and strong currents occur, I advise drivers not to proceed with their journey,” he said.