Issues affecting the build quality of the Pan Borneo Highway project brought up by Works Minister Baru Bian in recent statements are entirely not new, said Tiong.
KUCHING: It is high time for Works Minister Baru Bian to get behind the scenes of the Pan Borneo Highway project construction and find solutions to the issues as soon as possible, said Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Tiong King Sing.
Tiong said that Baru, who is also Selangau MP, should make more visits to the affected project sites instead of “fishing for media coverage” through surprise visits.
According to Tiong, in his capacity as Bintulu MP, he had raised issues related to the Pan Borneo project in Parliament numerous times for the past one and a half years regarding its safety defects and deficiencies.
“Issues affecting the build quality of the Pan Borneo Highway project brought up by Works Minister Baru Bian in recent statements are entirely not new. Obviously, the Minister has not been receiving the memo on the substandard quality of the highway project, even though hundreds of complaints have been aired through mainstream media, social media and even raised in Parliament.
“While it is good to know that the Minister of Works has finally decided to experience the actual conditions of the highway himself, this response is coming at a late hour to the people’s detriment.
“His obliviousness to the conditions outside his home in Selangau highlights the disappointing response to the highway’s problems,” said Tiong in a statement.
He was commenting on news reports of Baru testing the Miri to Bintulu stretch on Saturday (Dec 14) night and the Bintulu to Sibu stretch on Sunday (Dec 15) morning himself, following complaints from the public.
Baru was quoted in news reports as saying there were many potholes that could endanger road users, especially at night when visibility was poor.
According to Tiong, this statement by Baru was contradictory to his own previous statements expressing satisfaction and lavishing praise on the progress of the highway project.
He also asked whether Baru can come up with reasons to excuse the JKR’s neglect on supervising the road works and maintenance and whether he (Baru) has any plans to bolster the supervision of the construction project.
“His so-called surprise inspections should be done on newly completed road sections or as soon as complaints are received from road users. If all issues are left to the contractors to resolve without any supervision, what’s the point of the Works Minister?
“With so many festive holidays coming soon, how will JKR ensure the safety of motorists and resolve the existing potholes and distressed sections?
“Furthermore, these poor road conditions drastically lengthen driving times; it takes 5 hours to drive from Miri to Sibu and with the journey from Sibu to Kuching taking 12 to 13 hours – a flight to London is quicker,” he said.
Tiong believed that in the long run, the Pan Borneo Highway might end up costing more in public funds and posing a major inconvenience to road users.