SANDAKAN, April 22 — The implementation of four packages of the Pan Borneo Highway Eastern Zone for the Kinabatangan-Telupid route will resolve the issue of damage to existing roads that has been the bane of road users over the years.

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said the completion of the project would solve the frequent damage to the main road, especially from Batu 32 Sandakan towards the Sapi Nangoh junction and then to Telupid.

He said the decades-old existing road could not accommodate heavy vehicles such as lorries carrying oil palm fruit that used the road daily, leaving it riddled with potholes.

“While the (Pan Borneo) project is being implemented, (and which is only) expected to be completed in two years, the Sabah Ministry of Works (KKR) will continue to ask for concessions for roads under its jurisdiction, to repair any serious damage that affects safety.

“The (Sabah) government does not plan to rebuild the entire road on the same route as it would mean wastage in terms of cost, where part of the route for the Pan Borneo Highway East Zone Project will pass through the affected roads,” he said in a statement here today.

Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah Works Minister, said the concessionaires appointed by the government were responsible for monitoring and improving damaged roads in accordance with the agreement.

As such, he lamented that irresponsible netizens were quick to rant and rave about road damage on social media without due inquiry, thus laying the blame squarely on the Public Works Department (JKR) and the government.

“It must be remembered that not all roads in Sabah are under JKR control. There are agricultural roads, local authority roads, farm roads which are not the responsibility of JKR... if the road is the responsibility of JKR, immediate repairs would have been carried out,” he said.

Bung Moktar, who is also Lamag state assemblyman, urged the District Office through the District Action Council to submit a list of the latest status of roads that need repair or maintenance, with attention to his ministry for appropriate action.

He said this would enable his ministry to apply for funds and direct attention to the correct parties responsible, to speed up the process of repair or maintenance of roads. — Bernama