Miri City Council to find ways to keep maintenance works on protocol roads

MIRI: The Miri City Council ( MCC) would have to take alternative measures, should there be no federal funding for the Public Works Department (JKR) to carry out maintenance works on the protocol roads across this city next year.

Mayor Adam Yii stated this in response to the concern voiced out by councillors regarding the overgrowth along the protocol roads, particular at the junctions, which created ‘ blind spots’ that endangered motorists.

“We have been informed that there’s no budget for the months of November and December from the federal government, which means no budget for JKR to carry out maintenance works on these roads.

“Thus, there is a need for us to find out with JKR on its plans for such services next year. If there’s still no budget for next year, then the council would have to come forward to provide grasscutting at the ‘blind spots’ along the protocol roads,” he said when met after chairing a full council meeting yesterday.

In this matter, Yii had asked MCC Road Safety Sub-Committee – chaired by Councillor Karambir Singh – to set up a dialogue with JKR.

The mayor agreed with Councillor Abdullah Jaini, who had said that the unavailability of federal fund for JKR to carry out maintenance works on the protocol roads here had put MCC ‘in a difficult situation’.

“The overgrown grasses along the protocol roads are really an eyesore for our ‘ Resort City’,” said Yii, adding that it was ‘very frustrating’ to always have the council blamed for this, despite the maintenance and upkeep of the protocol roads being under the jurisdiction of JKR.