KOTA KINABALU: Frustrated with the terrible road conditions in Sabah’s rural Pensiangan district, local leaders there got together to collect materials to patch up potholes on one section of a road.

       Atar Andipoh, the Ketua Anak Negeri (native chief) of Pensiangan, said he initiated a “cement donation drive” from road users who ply the Pensiangan-Sepulot road so that the potholes could be repaired.

       “We are looking at fixing potholes at a stretch of road on Jalan Sabanait-Sapuak, which is just about 30m in length, but the damage to vehicles and safety risks are huge,” he said when contacted.

       He added that they have asked the district Public Works Department (JKR) to look into the matter and to repair the road, but claimed that they have been waiting in vain for months.

       “The department officials tell us that work is underway and that action will be taken, but why is it taking them so long?” he asked.

       He hopes to get at least 30 bags of cement from the public and villagers soon so that repair works can start by Feb 14.

       “This is our target date to start and we will have a gotong-royong with villagers to patch up the holes on Feb 14 and 15,” he added.

       However, he said that if the JKR sends in their machinery before then, they would use the collected cement to repair another damaged road in the Pensiangan town area.

       A letter asking for the donation of cement had recently gone viral on social media platforms.

       Pensiangan MP Datuk Arthur Kurup said he was not aware of the “cement donation drive” until he saw the circulated letter on Monday night, adding that it was the leader’s own initiative to fix the road.

       “This road has already been approved for upgrading work and phase one of the project began in June 2021,” he added.

       Arthur said the part of the road mentioned in the letter which the villagers want to fix on their own, was at the other end of the Sapulut-Salong-Pegalungan-Pensiangan stretch, and it would be upgraded in Phase Three of the ongoing project.

       “This particular road is also being maintained by the state concessionaire,” he said, adding incessant rain had resulted in potholes on the road.