Authorities urged to act on sinking road in Kota Samarahan

KUCHING (Dec 16): Authorities have been urged to take immediate action over a sinking road issue at Lorong Apt 2, off Jalan Datuk Mohammad Musa in Kota Samarahan, amid growing safety concerns among nearby residents.

Michael Kong Feng Nian, who is Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant, said a resident had lodged a complaint with the Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) as early as Nov 28 regarding the sinking of the road directly in front of his house.

“Despite the severity of the situation and the clear risks involved, no concrete action has been taken to date. As a result, the nearby homeowners have been left living in constant fear and anxiety,” he said in a statement.

He noted that over the past few weeks, the soil erosion has continued to worsen.

“What started as a worrying crack has now developed into a sinking of the road of more than one foot, posing a real danger not only to the residents but also to passing road users.”

Kong said the sinking road posed a serious danger not only to homeowners in the area but also to passing motorists and road users. Concerned for their safety, residents eventually sought his assistance after seeing no progress on the matter.

“This is deeply concerning. Infrastructure failures of this nature should never be taken lightly. Roads do not sink overnight without cause, and once erosion sets in, the risk of sudden collapse increases significantly,” he said.

He stressed that waiting for an accident to occur before taking action was irresponsible and unacceptable.

“I urge the relevant authorities, particularly MPKS, to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves.

“Immediate site inspection, safety assessment and temporary mitigation measures must be carried out without further delay, followed by permanent rectification works. Public safety must always take precedence over bureaucratic processes and excuses,” he said.

Kong also called for a more proactive approach from authorities, warning that too often action is only taken after a tragedy occurs.

“By then, the damage is already done and lives may have been lost. Authorities must be proactive, decisive and responsive, especially when early warnings have already been raised by residents,” he added.