Nanga Pelagus residents disappointed with the poor quality of newly upgraded road

MIRI (Jan 30): Residents of Nanga Pelagus have expressed deep disappointment over the poor quality of a road upgrading project completed in August 2025, after the surface began to deteriorate within just a few months.

Tuai Rumah Jalit Manok said the cemented road at Bukit Amang, about 1.5 kilometres from Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Nanga Pelagus, is already showing signs of damage, with small stones emerging due to what he described as an overly thin cement layer.

“The road upgrade was completed last August, but now the surface is breaking apart and the stones underneath are starting to appear.

“This clearly shows the work does not meet proper standards,” he said in a statement.

He added that although the upgraded stretch measures only about 300 feet, its poor condition has disappointed villagers who rely on it for their daily travel.

Jalit called on the relevant authorities to urgently review the entire road upgrading project from SK Nanga Pelagus to Pasir Nai, Nanga Pelagus, Kapit, including the section leading to his longhouse.

He also urged agencies responsible for monitoring public projects, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), to look into the matter to ensure the project was carried out in accordance with approved allocations and quality standards.

“For us, this is a very important road. It is the only alternative to travelling by boat through the Pelagus rapids, which are well known for their dangerous currents and have claimed many lives over the years,” he said.

The road is also used by villagers to send their children to school, making its condition a matter of safety and daily necessity.

Residents are now hoping for immediate action from the authorities before the road deteriorates further and becomes unsafe for use.