MIRI, Feb 11 — A landslide-hit stretch of Miri-Marudi road will be partially closed to traffic from tomorrow until February 20 to enable repairs.
Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil said the Public Works Department (JKR) has been asked to take immediate action to ensure the safety of the many road users on this busy road.
The rainy spell in the past few days resulted in a major landslide, which left cracks on the tar-sealed road surface.
Penguang advised road users to exercise caution when travelling on the very narrow and winding stretch.
He also requested the plantation owner in the area to allow the public to use its roads temporarily during this period.
“I also call upon Recoda (Regional Corridor Development Authority) to expedite the construction of the new Miri-Marudi R5 JKR standard road before any nasty incident happens.
“It is a public knowledge that the existing road is very dangerous to road users and very expensive and difficult to maintain as it is following the old logging road alignment along the ridges,” he told The Borneo Post today.
When contacted, JKR Miri Divisional engineer Stephen Ung said half of the road would be closed to initiate slope repairs at the stretch near the BLD plantation entrance.
He said the partial closure from February 12-20 would mean the road is only passable for vehicles weighing less than three tonnes.
For questions regarding traffic flow, contact the JKR Miri Divisional Office on 085-442244 or Endaya Construction Sdn Bhd on 1-300-22-3777.
Separately, Penguang also called on JKR to address the pineapple farm stretch along the Miri-Marudi road, which is frequently flooded and impassable to small vehicles.
He said flooding in the Sungai Bok bridge area on the Beluru-Long Lama Road frequently cuts of access to Marudi and Lapok, Long Lama, and Tinjar, with many road users either left stranded or cancelling travel plans. — The Borneo Post
