More durable options needed to replace bridges in Papar
PAPAR: Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin is seeking more durable options to replace the bridges here.
She said in 2017, the Papar Parliament Office had dedicated almost RM200,000 and received RM1 million from the federal planning unit towards the repair, upgrading and new construction of almost 30 different types of bridges, seven of them located in Kaiduan alone, in the district.
The program is an ongoing one and the Papar Parliament is committed to continuously providing better infrastructure as some bridges can only last for a limited period of time in the district due to factors such as weather conditions, she assured.
“We will continue to look for a new system in the planning and implementation aspect. The damages are because of weather conditions,” said Rosnah, who is also Papar Member of Parliament, at the 2018 Papar Back to School Program at the district community hall here yesterday.
“I am not satisfied yet. We have already used a new concept last year but there are still aspects that needs to be improved.
“We will never stop, we want (bridges to last for) longer periods,” she added.
According to Papar District officer Adnan Atin, the district had replaced the wooden parts of the bridges with light metal so it could last longer.
He said the varying cost of building a new bridge can go up to more than RM100,000 and, depending on the damages, repairs can cost between RM60,000 and RM70,000.
He added that the district had a longer list of projects to fix and replace bridges in 2018 compared to previous years.
Adnan said the longest bridge, which reaches a hundred feet, had been repaired in the Limbahau area along Sungai Papar.
The district officer foresees that the number of suspension bridges will decrease in Papar.
Recently, it was learnt that pupils living in Kampung Ulu Kaiduan had been using a dangerous shortcut route that involved crossing a river and ten feet high slope to reach their SK Kaiduan school.
SK Kaiduan headmaster Uzair Kee Yahya said the children would reach the school between 15 to 20 minutes when using the proper route.
He said for the last three months the pupils, who were said to be carrying their school uniform in a plastic bag, would take the risk of using the shortcut so they could reach the school in around 10 minutes.
“The school did not have knowledge about this,” he told the press.
“Even the villagers would not use it (shortcut route). I have already met with the pupils and representatives of the PIBG (parents and teachers association) to inform them of this case.
“For the future, I would like to advise all children to take the safe route, do not use routes that are not the main one because it would put them in danger,” he added.
Uzair said he has no knowledge of whether a bridge will be built on the shortcut route to the school that has 87 pupils.
But he revealed that the district education office is mulling the construction of a dormitory in the area.