DAP Sabah has questioned the reason why is there no action taken against the overloading logging trucks along the Kalabakan-Sapulut road which have caused serious damage to the RM920 million road.
I have submitted a written question before the State Assembly sittings early of this month. The Infrastructure Development Ministry in its written answer, has admitted that the major factor to cause the road damage was the uncontrolled and rampant overloading trucks transporting logs and oil palms along the road.
According to the written reply, Public Work Department (JKR) had conducted series of meeting with the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Sabah Forestry Department, and the Police to seek for joint effort in addressing the issue. One of the actions was to demand the Ministry of Transport and its agency to set up a vehicle weighing facility to control the weight of road users to ensure the longevity and safety of the road.
The 145km Kalabakan-Sapulut Road construction started as a gravel road in 2004, and it was upgraded to a paved road entirely, with the phase one road construction costing RM650 million completed in 2008, and continued with upgrading works costing RM270 million until 2015.
The entire Kalabakan-Sapulut road has costed the people RM920 million, and it supposed to be built as a highway. Sadly, the 145km road is riddled with potholes, sink holes and uneven road shoulders. It is dangerous to the road users and accident could happen easily. As a frequent road user, I used to see those overloading logging trucks on the road almost every trip I took from Tawau to Kota Kinabalu via Kalabakan-Sapulut road.
Are they, the logging companies above the law? Where is the JPJ? They should carry out their duty to check overloading and reduce the road damage!
According to Sabah Forestry Deparment, the average forest revenue that is sourced each year by using the Kalabakan Log Pond is RM70 million or a third of Sabah’s total forest revenue a year. Kalabakan-Sapulut road as the only route for log hauling in the area, the logging concessioanaires have no choice but to use the highway.
Is the road designed and built to handle the high loads? I think it should be taken into account when there is any upgrading of the road.
I urge the government to expedite the process to establish a Weighing Bridge or Rest Complex to monitor usage of the road. The location has been identified, which is not far from the entrance of the road leading to Maliau Basin.
Before the Weighing Bridge or Rest Complex ready for operation, I hope to see there is action taken to penalize the overloading logging trucks. They can’t enjoy the lucrative profit in the expense of road damage and eventually unsafe for the ordinary road users.