Datuk Nancy Shukri
KUCHING: Motorists are advised to refrain from using the Batang Sadong bridge in Sadong Jaya until an official announcement has been made.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Nancy Shukri said the 1.48km bridge will only be open for the public once all ratification matters or final improvement adjustments are completed.
“After everything is completed, it will be officially handed over to the government by the contractors,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Nancy, who is also Batang Sadong MP, pointed out that though the bridge was currently 99.5 per cent completed, there were still a few improvements in terms of safety measures that needed to be carried out after the Road Safety Audit was conducted.
“Once all these processes have been finalised, then it will be gazetted to enable the Batang Sadong bridge to be used,” she explained.
She thus advised the public to be patient and comply with instructions to not use the bridge before an official announcement is made so as to ensure public safety.
The Batang Sadong bridge, which has been much-awaited by the people, is expected to be open to the public sometime after Oct 15.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof told reporters on Saturday (Oct 1) that the bridge was presently going through an audit process that was necessary to ensure the safety of all users.
“We have not opened the bridge to the public yet as there is some audit issue. We have to make sure that it is safe before opening it,” he said, noting that the bridge would most likely be ready after Oct 15.
The RM211.3 million Batang Sadong bridge project was approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in 2011 during his visit to the Batang Sadong constituency with the construction of the bridge commencing on July 5, 2012.
With the completion of the bridge, a journey from Kuching to Sibu, for instance, would be shortened by 2½ hours compared to the present eight-hour journey.
Motorists currently have to wait and queue up for the ferry in order to cross Batang Sadong.