SIBU: The current poor condition of the Pan Borneo Highway needs urgent improvement to prevent more accidents from happening, says Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (pic).

       He said in a statement on Monday (July 26) that Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof must exercise his authority to immediately improve the safety of the project.

       "It is the only way that the public can begin to feel some sincerity in how the government cares to serve and alleviate their issues," he said.

       Tiong further said that following a high profile ‘inspection’ visit, there was never any serious action taken.

       Tiong said to this day, there were still inadequate safety measures used in the areas under construction, with messy road work management, and missing warning lights and signage to divert traffic safely.

       Potholes were incredibly common, and plenty of loose dirt and sand on the road made the whole place look like a war zone.

       "It is dangerous enough to drive there in the daytime, let alone at night. Road users are walking a tightrope, you could literally lose your life with less than perfect attention when driving," he said.

       He said he had questioned many times why the road at the diversion sites were not paved properly for traffic.

       "The contractor has totally neglected to tar the road section at the diversion site, leaving loose stone, sand, and dirt to obscure drivers’ visibility," said Tiong.

       He emphasised that the Pan Borneo Highway project could not be allowed to continue like this.

       He called on the Works Minister to "turun padang" as per his duties and strictly supervise the project’s development to be done properly and safely.

       "The highway’s contractor is reaping the rewards but no one can use the highway with peace of mind while we are paying for the maintenance costs," he said.