DANGER LURKS: The dilapidated bridge (right) and the narrow road at Baki bazaar require immediate attention from the relevant authorities.
KUCHING: Villagers of Kampung Rayang, Kampung Munggu Kopi, Kampung Tanah Puteh and Kampung Semamban in Serian are waiting at the edge of their seats for the commencement of a RM68 million road project which has been delayed for 10 months.
Expecting to see the completion of the 15km road within two years after the earth breaking ceremony in April last year, the villagers are now angst, and see the construction machinery and equipment there as “mere props”.
PARTY’S OVER?: The site where the earth-breaking ceremony was held is now overgrown with bushes.
Currently, only Kampung Rayang and Kampung Munggu Kopi have an access road, stretching for 7.5km, linking them to the Kuching-Serian road.
Of this 7.5km-long access road, 1.7km of it is gravel and the rest pre-mixed, since 2009, but littered with potholes.
Feeling the greater pinch are villagers from Kampung Tanah Puteh and Kampung Semamban, who have to travel by boat to Kampung Munggu Kopi, which is seven to nine kilometers away, as their transit to Kuching.
“It is also unfortunate that a resident of Kampung Tanah Puteh drowned during Ramadhan last year when his boat capsized in the Sadong river, which linked his village and Kampung Munddu Kopi,” said DAP Serian branch chairman Edward Luwak yesterday.
Meanwhile, Edward also lamented the dilapidated narrow bridge and the rotting pedestrian bridge over a stream near a Chinese school at Baki bazaar, Mile 32 Kuching-Serian Road.
Upon observation at the pedestrian bridge, Edward said he was sad to note that students rather cross the stream via the main road instead of using the rickety bridge for their own safety.
“The Chung Hua school there has an enrolment of more than 200 students, and many of them use the bridge on school days,” said Edward.
He also said that vehicles which passed the bridge risk losing control and ending up in the stream.
“Students on foot face more danger as those using the bridge risk being knocked by vehicles, while those using the wooden bridge could end up in the river if the bridge collapses.”
He also hoped that the authorities would take the people’s plight seriously even though the issue was brought up by Pakatan Rakyat.s would take the people’s plight seriously even though the issue was brought up by Pakatan Rakyat.