Senator urges moratorium on major urban, coastal projects after Ulu Baram tragedy
MIRI (April 25): Parti Keadilan Sarawak (PKR) senator Abun Sui has made a call for the state government to impose a moratorium on major urban and coastal infrastructure projects and channel funds towards urgently needed rural road connectivity instead.
His statement came following the recent drowning of a teacher and her daughter in Ulu Baram.
The senator said the incident highlighted the dire state of rural infrastructure and called for the swift construction of proper roads and bridges in remote areas to prevent further loss of lives and property.
In representing Belaga, he said: 'As one who comes from the rural area, I have always wanted the government to prioritise rural connectivity.'
'Large-scale projects costing millions in urban areas must be put on hold until rural populations have access to safe roads and bridges,' he reasoned.
The victims in the recent case, a teacher and his 9-year-old daughter, were swept away by strong currents while crossing Sungai Sengayan in Ulu Baram on April 13.
Their stalled 4WD vehicle had been trapped mid-river. The girl's body was recovered the next day, while her father's body was found five days later. The girl's mother and the driver survived.
The tragedy sparked outrage on social media, with Sarawakians questioning the state's priorities after six decades of independence, during which many rural communities still lack basic infrastructure.
Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala said a bridge across Sungai Sengayan in Ulu Baram is expected to be tendered next month.
Seven other log bridges in Ulu Baram are also slated for upgrading next year, after earlier ones were abandoned by logging firms.
A glaring connectivity gap persists in Baram and nearby districts, in which a month prior, a broken timber bridge near Telang Usan cut off access to 12 villages and a school.
Teachers from SK Long Luteng were forced to cross the damaged structure on foot.
Meanwhile, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who oversees infrastructure and port development, has acknowledged that RM 15 million allocated for road and bridge repairs is insufficient, especially in high-risk areas for erosion and landslides.
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