Masing: Trucks destroy road, endanger lives

Source from The Borneo Post

KUCHING:  Drastic enforcement action must be taken against logging trucks which have been suspected to be the cause of several fatal accidents along the Bakun Road.

These heavily overloaded logging trucks, some do not have licence plates and are known locally as ghost lorries  or Lori Hantu, have also been responsible for the extensive damages of road surface, making travelling an ordeal for Bakun folk with smaller vehicles.

The heavily overloaded logging trucks can easily be seen speeding along the road laden with long logs oblivious to the safety of other road users or the damage they do to the road.

What was supposed to be a blessing for the people, the 120-km road which was built about two decades ago has turned into a nightmare for the people of Bakun.

The long standing issue was recently brought up by Land Development Minister Tan Sri James Masing who visited the road and was frustrated that the road meant for the people has been abused by the logging trucks.

He stressed that the Bakun Road was built for the people of Bakun, including Sg Asap Resettlement folk as well as the development of Bakun Hydro-electric power dam but never meant for logging trucks.

“The last time (in March this year) when I was there, I was by the roadside observing.  I noticed that now logging trucks have taken control of everything.   Every minute, there is a logging truck passing by.

“Over the years, there are already a few people suspected to be killed while trying to avoid the logging trucks or the potholes which can be big enough to trap a small Perodua Kancil. Something must be done.  And if nothing is done, I would not be surprised if the locals were to take laws in their own hands,” said Masing.

“The government has to spend millions of public money to first build and then maintain the road.  And these logging companies have been using this road for the people for free, to make big money.
“This is not fair. The money pumped in by the government to repair the road is people’s money.  Why do small people have to pay and still suffer while the rich companies are subsidised and get even richer?” said Masing.

He said the road was built at a cost of RM500 million and over the years, at least two major repairs had been done.  The recent repair which ended last December had cost the government RM31 million.

Witnessing one after another overloaded logging truck rumbling down the road relentlessly while the Public Works Department was still in the midst of repairing it, Masing lamented how long this was allowed to go on.

At the rate the road was ravaged, he said, the big potholes that were repaired would reappear after three months as hundreds of logging trucks bearing a few hundred tonnes of logs hurtled along it day and night.

Masing challenged the relevant enforcement authorities to take immediate and stern action against these logging trucks by “being focussed and not get diverted” in their attention and effort.

“The relevant authorities must be very serious and genuine in wanting to solve the problem.  They must make sure that they are not encouraged to look the other way,” said Masing.

He also suggested the building of some concrete arches of certain height which impede heavily loaded lorries from passing through to be built along the road to stop this long-term abuse by the logging trucks.