A photo showing the condition of the bridge which has been circulated on Facebook since Tuesday.
MIRI (Jan 26): Baram Member of Parliament Dato Anyi Ngau has assured that repair works are underway on the Long San Bridge in Ulu Baram.
Public Works Department (JKR) and Samling Group have been notified to carry out the remedial works, Anyi said when asked to comment on the pictures of the latest condition of the bridge which have gone viral on the social media since Tuesday.
“I have informed JKR Miri divisional engineer and they had asked for another company operating in Ulu Baram to assist in repairing the bridge as it is outside their contract scope,” Anyi said, adding that he had been given the assurance that Samling Group will undertake minor repair work on the bridge.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala also noted that he had already contacted Samling and JKR Miri to carry out the repairs immediately for the safety of the users.
Gerawat, who is also Mulu assemblyman, said he was informed that Samling had instructed their engineer to go to the site to inspect the damage for further actions.
“In the meantime, I have also asked Samling to put notice boards on both sides of the bridge to warn users to exercise extra caution when using the bridge, as well as to limit its access to only light vehicles and four-wheel drive (4WD) and to stop heavy-duty vehicles from using the bridge until it is repaired.
“I have also requested JKR Miri to conduct a meeting with Samling and Forestry officials to discuss medium to long-term planning, to assess its overall condition and the extent of repair, and also the possibility of building a new bridge to replace the present one if it is found to be unsafe for long-term use,” Gerawat said.
He disclosed that the state government through Highland Development Agency (HDA) is taking over the upgrading works on former logging roads in Ulu Baram in stages, where logging companies stopped maintaining repair works due to ceased operation.
Gerawat said some of the upgrading works have been completed, while some are underway and others are on hold pending tender.
“Due to the vast and very challenging physical terrain in Ulu Baram, and also the huge cost involved, the upgrading of roads to all longhouses in Baram will be an ongoing continuous process which may take time to complete,” he stressed.
A few Facebook users had taken to social media on Tuesday calling for the state government’s immediate intervention to repair the bridge which poses a risk to users who are travelling to Ulu Baram and vice versa, especially at night.
The bridge is the only lifeline that connects more than 20 villages and settlements in Ulu Baram with the outside world.