JKKK man highlights poor state of Mulu village's hall less than a year after construction, wants JKR action
MIRI (July 2): A local resident has voiced concern over the condition of the multipurpose hall at Kampung Sungai Melinau in Mulu, noting that the parts of the facility are already showing signs of damage despite being less than a year old.
Michael Ugom Jalong, 49, a member of the village security and development committee (JKKK), said the most pressing issue is the stage area, where the flooring has begun to deteriorate.
'The wooden support beneath the stage floor has collapsed, and the concrete flooring is in poor condition—it is loose and releases sand,' he said in a statement yesterday.
He noted that the hall remains under warranty from November 2024 to November this year, yet no repairs have been carried out so far.
Michael said the issue was reported to the Public Works Department (JKR), which had assured him that the contractor would perform the necessary repairs on June 9.
'However, when I visited the hall on June 13, no work had been done despite the assurance given. This is very disappointing, especially with an official event scheduled to take place at the hall on July 5,' he said.
According to him, the issue had already been raised during the handover of the hall to the JKKK last November.
He called on the relevant authorities to expedite the repair works to ensure the hall is safe and presentable for the upcoming function.
'We want the contractor to immediately repair the damage and replace the flooring, especially on the stage, as it is not safe.'
Meanwhile, when contacted, JKR Miri Divisional Engineer Stephen Ung confirmed that they are aware of the issue.
'For the stage, the contractor has already replaced the critical structural part. As for the finishing, we have instructed the contractor to install an additional layer of plywood and rubber mat, as the existing stone plastic composite (SPC) vinyl is not suitable,' he said.
Ung added that the contractor is currently awaiting delivery of the new materials, which will be installed once they arrive on-site.
'The stage's critical structure of the stage has been repaired. My staff are sending me photos of the completed works. However, because it is covered by the vinyl layer, the support structure is not visible.
'That is why we are continuing to press the contractor to fully complete the necessary repairs,' he said.
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