Villagers crossing the bamboo bridge, which temporarily replaces the collapsed bridge.
KUCHING: Students and teachers of SK Kambug in Padawan are seeing red over the slow response by the authorities in acting upon a report lodged by them on the sorry state of a wooden bridge linking the village with the school over a river.
On Feb 6, the frail structure finally collapsed as its supporting column was swept away during a landslide, which was caused by the recent flood.
“Now all students and their parents have to tread through slippery mud trails and are dicing with danger whenever they cross a temporary bamboo bridge to reach school,” SK Kambug assistant headmaster Mogun Batai when met by reporters yesterday.
The alternative route, he said, was constructed by the villagers themselves.
According to him, representatives from the school lodged a complaint to the state Education Department after they saw that a section of the wooden bridge was slanting to the extent that it was already touching the ground.
They were told, however, that the bridge was not under the department’s purview, but under the Public Works Department (JKR).
“We were told to refer the case to JKR. It is very disappointing that all our complaints have fallen on deaf ears,” Mogun lamented.
At present, a majority of SK Kambug’s 146 students are staying at the hostel.
Mogun said having a proper bridge was still vital, given that there are many preschoolers coming to school with their parents.
“They need a safe and sturdy bridge, which we hope would be constructed immediately. We hope that this issue would capture the attention of our assemblyman,” he stressed.