Dennis (right) and his aide check the condition of Long Ayat metal bridge at Sungai Patah.
MIRI (March 24): Timber companies are urged to continue to maintain the logging roads in Ulu Baram including ensuring the safety of all wooden and metal bridges for those using the roads.
Besides connecting the rural folks with other places, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said these logging roads are also used by the government and private companies to provide services in Ulu Baram.
“We are sure that the state and federal governments are making all efforts to deliver better and permanent public roads even to the most remote villages in the state.
“However, this effort will take time and we still need to rely on these logging roads,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday when relating his recent working visit to Ulu Baram.
Dennis estimated over 1,000 km of logging roads have been built by various timber companies for their operations, including spur roads connecting 83 longhouses or settlements all over Telang Usan, including Long Selatong Dikan, Long Beku and Long Liam Asal.
Without the presence of these licensed logging companies, he said more than half of the longhouses or villages may still depend on river for transportation until today.
Timber activities, he added, indeed have brought a new landscape to the life of rural people.
He thanked the logging companies for allowing rural folks as well as others to use their roads as this has eased travelling between the towns and longhouses in Ulu Baram.
With the state’s long term strategies in maintaining revenue streams from timber activities, he was aware that companies operating in Ulu Baram were seen to cut down on their operation sizes and activities.
Even so, he urged the timber companies to continue maintaining the logging roads, including the spur roads, to longhouses as they used to do all these years to enable the rural people to carry on with their daily life.
Besides that, he said there is a need to ensure the safety of all wooden and metal bridges in Ulu Baram.
During his recent working visit to Ulu Baram, he made a stop to inspect the condition of the Long Ayat metal bridge at Sungai Patah, which was built by a timber company many years ago.
He found that some parts of the bridge needed to be repaired for safe usage, as it is not only used by the rural folks such as the Penan and Kayan but also by heavy-laden lorries.
“I’ve put up the bridge in the list of bridges to be built in Ulu Baram under 12th Malaysia Plan.
“Hopefully, we can hear some good news for the project. But for the meantime, I really hope that the timber company under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spirit will continue to maintain it for the sake of safety.”
He also sought total cooperation from the road users, particularly the rural folks, to notify the companies of any danger posed by logging roads and the bridges for immediate action.
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