Villagers in Ba Kelalan agree to let contractor extract gravel from five rivers for road upgrade
KUCHING: The locals in Ba Kelalan area have agreed to let the contractor ( Samling) and the State Public Works Department (JKR) to take the boulders and gravels from five rivers to expedite the upgrading of the 66 km road from Ba Kelalan to Long Luping.
According to PBB Ba Kelalan Youth chief Tadem Aran, he had talked to the village chiefs from the area and they have agreed to let the contractor ( Samling) and JKR to use the boulders and gravels from the five rivers for the purpose.
“I have talked to all village chiefs who are near these rivers and they all agreed that the contractor of the road ( Samling) to get the boulders and gravels from the five rivers to expedite the upgrading of the road.
“They all agreed because we have suffered for far too long. So we are willing to part with the resources that we have to make sure that we will have a much better road once the project is completed,” Tadem told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
According to Tadem, the five rivers along the way from Ba Kelalan to Long Luping where boulders and gravels could be easily obtained are Sg Muda, Sg Long Ubau, Sg Trusan, Sg Long Semadoh and Sg Lupukan.
He added that the villagers were even willing to help supervise the upgrading of the road on voluntary basis to ensure that the project would be done properly.
Tadem also revealed that Samling’s and JKR top officers are expected to meet the people at Ba Kelalan today to discuss how best to upgrade the road.
Recently, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Transportation ( MIDT) said Samling had agreed in principle to upgrade the logging road at a cost of RM36 million.