THE RESIDENTS in Kapayan, Putatan and Petagas along the railway route find it very difficult to accept that their usual access to their homes, factories, and shops were closed. This closure of the many railway level crossings had indeed created lots of problems after the railroad accident where a passenger train hit an oil tanker. The level crossings were ordered closed by the Sabah Minister of Infrastructure Development Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitinggan recently.
The Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament received many complaints from the people here telling him that they don’t agree the level crossings that they have been using for many years were suddenly closed without arranging other proper access road for them.
They said the so call alternative road is far too small and narrow to even allow two cars to pass through. The road will not support the weight of the heavy lorry and this will break up and spoiled soon.
They said the traffic is very heavy during the peak hours and will not be able to cope. The entrances are too bad and narrow, and not being arranged to the required JKR standard. It is very hard for them to get in and out, and sometimes accident may occur.
KK MP Hiew King Cheu and the Sabah DAP Vice Chairman Edward Ewol Mujie had inspected the make-shift access road parallel to the railway track and found that the complaints were valid. The road is definitely very narrow and the road base is very weak. The closure of the level crossing had indeed affected the people living here.
They were brought to see the site where the collision of the train and oil tanker occurred in front of the Shell petrol station. This is sited in front of the Taman Friendship where there are many residential houses. Many people from this had approached the KK MP to file their dismay especially their inconveniences felt.
Further down towards the Petagas area where many kampongs are located, the dwellers experienced the trouble of getting in and out through the small access road. Sometimes the jam is unbearable and precious time wasted. The business of the workshop, shops, and factory are badly affected.
All these boiled down to the bad arrangement of the government and the ministry that is responsible for this. Why the road is not built ready before the level crossings were closed? Why the government did not planned for this road even before the accident had happened, and why only now quickly closed all the level crossings without proper access road to cater for the people?
This reflects the poor and improper work performance of the government that sank the people into further trouble and hardship. “This is the work of an irresponsible government” claimed a resident who lives here. He also said that he had complaint to an assistant minister who happened to live in this area, but very sadly and sorry to say that he did not act even.
KK MP Hiew calls upon the JKR and the Railway Board to work fast to get all the access road widen up and make the road base stronger. The road entrances from the main road must be designed to the JKR standard to avoid accident, especially from the Police HQ junction and the main road junctions.
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