KINARUT, THE LOST TOWN?

PEKAN Kinarut is being forgotten by the authorities day by day. It is not maintained, taken care off and with very bad facilities.

The walkabout visit conducted by the KK MP Hiew King Cheu with his Special Assistant Andrew Lee Chee Kiong and the Sabah DAP Wanita Chief Noriah Onong to the Pekan Kinarut had received many complaints and requests concerning the problems faced by the people here.

All thought it is a small town but it serves many people in the area, and it is a place where the people do their shopping and marketing. It used to be booming and a popular place in the old days, but today the place is dying gradually. Less and less people are coming here and they choose to by-pass this small town.

MP Hiew saw what is happening here and felt sorry for them, he said the authorities must not neglect them but instead they should come to help them with better facilities and keep the place clean.

The community hall is seriously broken down and it can not be used anymore by the people here, and it is used as a store now. The garbage dumping ground is just next to the hall and it gives out very foul smell. The people here complained that there is no proper community bins or garbage collection centre to keep the garbage, and the garbage is exposed to open air.

The people here pointed out that the only police post is empty without any policeman to station here for a long time now. The police post is empty and even the power has been cut off. They wanted a policeman to stay here and provide security and a place for them to get help.

They said a town like this should at least to have a police to watch over the place. There are two schools in town, why the police HQ cannot even provide the police service here. The nearest police station is further down at Sabindo in Lok Kawi.

The drain cover slabs in many places are broken and the drains are filled with rubbish and clogged up with heavy dirt. This has been complained to the Papar District Council but no action has ever been taken.

That is why we have said that Pekan Kinarut has been totally forgotten.

The other thing that the people complain is the fallen tree that hangs over the high tension power cable for months had not been attended to, and it continues to hang on the wire posing serious danger to motorist or passer-by.

This reflects that the authorities and the local assemblyman never border to look into the people’s problems and take care of this little town. “May be when the election comes along he will reappear to ask for support and votes” said one lady here. “We don’t want a wakil rakyat like this” said her.    

The hawkers told Puan Onong in the vegetable market that their business is almost impossible to earn a living now because there is less and less people come to shop here. Onong said it will be the job of a Pakatan Rakyat new government in Sabah to see to this problem.

She said if the present government is unable and is not taking care of the people, then what is the use to support them back into power. It is time to change for a new PR government, and let a new government formed to take care of them especially their livelihood and incomes. She added to revive and rebuild the glory and boom of the Kinarut town is a must for the new PR government. It still have the economic value and important.