Penguang checking on the condition of the road during his trip to Long Tabing on Jan 9.
MIRI (Feb 16): Marudi assemblyman Datu Dr Penguang Manggil has refuted allegations by certain individuals on social media saying that he did not respond to the complaint made by the villagers from Ulu Tinjar regarding the damaged road at Long Lapok-Ulu Tinjar.
Penguang, who is also Assistant Minister of Local Government said the allegations were not true as he had on several occasions went to the ground to check on the situation and that he had also been in communication with the community leaders from the area.
“The allegations saying that I did not respond (to the complaint regarding the damaged road at Long Lapok-Ulu Tinjar) were not true. After I went to Long Tabing end of last year, I wrote to the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to request for the funds which was approved almost immediately.
“However, the contractor could not go in (to the site) because of the persistent rain and flooding especially near Long Teran’s junction,” said Penguang in a press statement today.
According to him, the big lorries transporting oil palms had made the road condition there worse, stating that he had photos where the lorries belonging to oil palm companies using the road.
“I have also been in communication with Penghulu Patrick Jelaman as well as village chief of Long Jegan, Long Teran’s headman Lah Anyi as well as Tuai Rumah (TR) Atam and TR Manggie of Long Tisam.
“I have done my part to secure the funding and worked with Miri Public Works Department (PWD) to get the work done soonest possible but the weather is beyond our control,” he lamented.
He also stressed that he could understand the villagers’ predicament as he too had been using the same road during his recent visit to several longhouses in the area between November last year and last month.
With the weather starting to improve, he was hopeful that the contractor would start the repair work immediately because the damaged road had caused a lot of problem for the community in the area.
Among the problems faced were that they were not able to sell their Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) to nearest ramp which is in Lapok since December last year.
Majority of the community here depends on oil palm as their main source of income.
There are nine villages in Ulu Tinjar namely Rh John Long Tuyut, Rh Joben Long Tabing, Rh Jarau Long Tabing, Long Teran Kanan, Long Jegan, Long Takung, Long Tisam, Apau Gun and Long Aya.
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