BINTULU (June 14): The maintenance and repair work of the Pan Borneo Highway must be returned to the Public Works Department (JKR) as soon as possible to prevent more tragedies, said Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
He took the contractor of the project, Lebuhraya Utara Sdn Bhd (LBU), to task for its poor performance in maintaining and repairing of Pan Borneo.
Initially, he said the Pan Borneo Highway was under the management of LBU before it was taken over by the Sarawak JKR after it was discovered that the contractor had not adhered to the contract’s guidelines and specifications.
“The project’s safety and construction procedures were reviewed and the situation improved after the Works Department inspected the problems that plagued several road sections,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
However, Tiong said after the project management was returned to the original contractor a few months ago, the same issues are recurring.
“I would not object, no one would object if the highway is well maintained no matter which party does a good job.
“But if the current party responsible for the maintenance does a dangerously poor job, then it is much better for the public that the entire maintenance project is handed back to the Works Department,” he said.
He said the Pan Borneo Highway is now plagued by uneven surfaces and unsafe construction practices.
He said the damage of the road surface caused by heavy traffic compounded its severely uneven surface.
“Drivers, who are not familiar with the potholes and caved-in sections, could easily be affected by these hazards and ram into a road divider.
“Many road sections are full of potholes, signage and warning lights are non-existent, and this point to sub-standard road maintenance.
“Is LBU totally unaware of the state of the Highway? Any potholes that appear must obviously be repaired immediately. Worse, safety precautions are not in place,” he said.
He personally drove from Bintulu to Sibu yesterday and he said he saw the entire highway was a mess and drivers were being put at risk unnecessarily.
“In some places, you would not even realise there the road turns until the last second. This is why cars can lose control.”
This could have caused a 63-year-old vegetable seller to lose control of her car and crashed into roadside cones on Jalan Sibu-Bintulu, and dying on the spot two days ago.
Tragically, Tiong said her accident was only the tip of the iceberg of tragedies on the highway.
He said the exorbitant cost of the contract is not reflected in the quality of the maintenance and repair of the highway.
He urged the federal Minister of Works to personally make the inspections and experience every single bump driving along the highway.
“I urge all the relevant authorities to review the contract immediately and return the maintenance of PanBorneo highway to the Public Works Department,” he said.