Manyin says due to lack of funds government’s other option is to build overtaking lanes
SAFETY FIRST: Manyin (right) helps a motorcyclist don a new helmet, courtesy of JKJR during their Christmas Road Safety Campaign. Looking on is Redzuan (second right).
SERIAN: The government is keen to develop a dual carriage way between Kuching and Miri to provide easy access between the two cities.
In saying that this was ideal as it would cut down driving time from 12 hours to seven, Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Dato Sri Micheal Manyin Jawong, however, said the government did not have sufficient funds to carry out the project.
“Sarawak is the biggest state in Malaysia and our population is only 2.5 million and very scattered. We cannot follow what is being implemented in Peninsular Malaysia,” he told reporters after officiating at the Christmas Road Safety Campaign today.
At the same time, Manyin also said that a lot of villages and longhouses were still not accessible by road, adding that the ministry’s target and priority was to make all these places accessible by 2020.
“Roads are very costly. We cannot just concentrate on the trunk road or the towns. We also want to provide connectivity to all those villages and settlements,” said Manyin, pointing out that this was a tall order for the ministry.
“Public Works Department (JKR) capacity is there but the money is not,” he said.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the federal government had given the state a substantial amount of money for roads, including those within the SCORE area.
“Our ministry has submitted a request for RM100 million under the Tenth Malaysia Plan to build overtaking lanes.
“If we get that, I believe accidents on the trunk roads will be very much reduced,” Manyin said, adding that Sarawak does not have enough volume for toll plazas.
On the road safety campaign, Manyin advised motorcyclists to give way to larger vehicles even if they have right of way as they usually bear the brunt of any accident with a car or lorry.
“You may be right, but you may also be dead right,” he said, revealing that around 65 per cent of traffic accidents were caused by human factors.
“As minister, I appeal to people not to drink and drive. You must know your limit,” Manyin said, adding that Gawai was usually accompanied by a drastic increase in the number of accidents.
According to Malaysia Road Safety Department (JKJR), the number of accidents increased from 15,157 during Jan-Nov last year to 15,759 this Jan-Nov.
Meanwhile, accident-related deaths went up from 310 to 330 in the same period.
Earlier on Manyin handed out brochures and goodies to motorists in Serian, and new helmets to motorcyclists as part of JKJR’s regular road safety campaigns.
Also present was JKJR Sarawak deputy director Redzuan Hamdan.