Tan (centre) poses for a photo with his senior officials at MPP headquarters.
KUCHING (Aug 31): All developers and construction material suppliers will soon be required to apply for road permits for the transportation of earth, concrete, premix, gravel and sand in areas under the jurisdiction of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP).
During a press conference yesterday at his office, MPP chairman Tan Kai said the new policy is expected to be enforced by the end of this year as the council will be organising another engagement session with the stakeholders next month.
“The policy is to ensure the industry players, namely the developers and suppliers, take care of the existing road infrastructure and its environment while transporting construction materials like earth, gravel, sand, concrete and premix in the jurisdictions of MPP,” he added.
Tan said the council had received many complaints about earth droppings from lorries in residential neighbourhoods, and this had caused unhappiness and frustrations among the residents.
“MPP requires all the developers and construction material suppliers to apply for the road permit before commencement of work or operation.”
Besides, the council also encouraged operators or landowners of non-development projects, including earth filing for plantation purposes, to apply for the road permit before commencing work.
“Road permit holders must ensure the route that they use is clean and well-maintained, as well as repair for any damage to minimise safety hazard and nuisance complaints.”
Tan explained the policy was actually not something new but the council will now be more strict in its enforcement actions after grouses were raised by the public about damaged or dirty roads caused by the transportation of such construction materials.
For any road found dirty caused by the transporters, Tan said the council will compound the violators under the Cleanliness by-law 1999, by-law 20(1) and instruct the permit holder to clean up immediately.
Moreover, Tan said the council will also request developers to install a wheel wash station at their construction sites for their lorries.
The MPP chairman warned that a stop work order will be issued if the permit holder fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the road permit.
Besides that, he said a stop work order will also be issued for any illegal development works and the case will be referred to the Land and Survey Department.
The department director will then be requested to exercise his power provided under the Land Code Chapter 81, Section 230 (1)(a), (2) and (3) if the relevant parties failed to comply with the stop work order, he warned.
“The council will exercise its power provided under the Local Authorities Ordinance 1996, Section 119 (k) and (m) to deny entry upon non-compliances,” said Tan.