Miro Simuh
KUCHING: The relevant authorities have been called on to take action against overloaded lorries at old Bau Road.
Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh said the heavy vehicles, mainly overloaded with quarry stones, were the main culprits behind damage on the road.
“I suggest that the police and the state Road Transport Department (JPJ) step-up their enforcement to rid the road of overloaded lorries.
“There is an urgent need to watch out for overloaded lorries at the old Bau Road round the clock,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Miro pointed out that the old Bau Road is an R3 standard road, which means the total load (weight of vehicle plus its load) must not exceed 15 tonnes.
“However, from what I have observed, total loading of up to 100 tonnes is not a rare thing to see at old Bau Road. Obviously, these heavy vehicles were not complying with the law,” he said.
He said there are currently 10 companies operating quarries in the Serembu area, of which seven are operating in Paku, one in Keranji and two in Kopit.
Miro said overloaded vehicles are impacting negatively on economic growth because as the load increases, the damage also worsens, resulting in higher maintenance and repair costs and shortening the lifespan of the road.
He said this in turn would place an additional burden on the state as well as law abiding road users, who ultimately carry the cost of careless and inconsiderate overloading.
“The overloaded vehicle puts the driver, the passengers and other road users at risk,” he added.