‘Pan Borneo Highway to be regularly maintained, improved’
KUCHING: The Works Ministry will ensure that the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak will be regularly maintained and consistently improved with necessary facilities to safeguard the safety and convenience of all the commuters travelling on this highway, said Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How.
“This is a prized legacy of Sarawak. Its value and significance will be determined by its expediency and utility in serving the people of Sarawak.
“The Pan Borneo Highway, together with its second phase which is now being studied, will serve its primary objective as the main carriageway to connect all the major cities and towns in Sarawak, and link up with the road systems in Sabah.
“Additionally, it is hoped that it will serve as a catalyst for development, growth and better living standard of all the people in Sarawak,” See, who is also a special officer to the Works Minister, said at a dinner hosted by Works Minister Baru Bian for the 39 bikers who participated in the Pan Borneo Highway Century Bicycle Ride 2019 on Sunday.
See also applauded all the 39 bikers who had successfully completed their 160-km ride from Kuching to Telok Melano, mostly on the Pan Borneo Highway.
Describing their feat of cycling 160km within nine hours as an accomplishment, See said Baru and himself were especially proud that all the 39 participants had completed the journey, displayed and demonstrated team spirit to support and motivate each other to complete the challenging quest.
“The bikers have praised the stretches of road shoulder on the completed portions of the highway and regarded them as functional and beneficial to enhance the safety of cyclists. We will certainly ensure that the highway will be maintained to its requisite standards and are hopeful that this will encourage cycling enthusiasts and others who will now join their ranks to take up this healthy sport and pastime.”
One of the cycling enthusiasts, Charlie Kho, said their team of 39 riders with more than 10 supporting members began their ride at 5am and arrived at their finishing point which was the scenic beach front of Kampung Telok Melano at about 2.30pm.
“There were five pit-stops along the journey. The participants were from all walks of life. There were students, a doctor, an architect, accountants, businessmen and technicians of all fields, aged 18 to 60 years, including two ladies.
“Our main convenor Wee Zac mooted this idea of gathering a group of bikers to explore and experience the Pan Borneo Highway about two months ago and we had immediately registered the 39 cycling enthusiasts and began our regular and rigorous training of three sessions every week,” he added.
Kho continued: “I must say that we were very impressed with the completed parts of the Pan Borneo Highway and were enjoying the scenery along the journey. The wide road shoulders along the completed portions of the highway were a joy to cycle on. We felt safe to ride on them.
“Many of the roads in Kuching City and its vicinity do not have such road shoulders and they are unsafe for cyclists. However, we feel that there should be ample road signs to remind the drivers of motor vehicles to keep to their speed limits, and hopefully there will be street lighting along the Pan Borneo Highway when it is completed, that it will be even more friendly and safe for cycling bikers,” Kho said.
The co-sponsors for the century ride were Thong Sen Cycle, Kuching Cycle Hub, New York Medical, Pacific Electronics and CPH Travel.