Nanta assures residents collapsed log bridge to be rebuilt by timber firm

KAPIT: The log bridge across the river at Nanga Antaroh, Ulu Sut, which collapsed recently, will be rebuilt by the logging company responsible for its construction, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said.

The Federal Minister for Works assured the public that if the company is unable to repair or reconstruct the bridge promptly, he will work with government agencies, including the Resident’s Office and District Office, to explore alternative solutions for the affected communities.

“The road is a private one constructed by the logging company decades ago. However, it also serves as an essential route for the local community, as it passes through many villages and Iban longhouses,” Nanta said in a statement yesterday (July 24).

Nanta, who is the Kapit MP, added that the Kapit Resident’s Office, the Kapit District Office, and other agencies have visited the site to assess the situation.

On Tuesday (July 23), the bridge collapse severed connectivity between Nanga Antaroh and Ulu Ga’at, affecting about 10 longhouses and two schools.

Meanwhile, a 40-second viral video shared by the Facebook page Road Info Kapit Sibu (RISN) shows the bridge severely damaged and collapsed, with broken support beams.

The individual who filmed the video said that those stranded on one side cannot travel across, and the only alternative is to travel downriver by boat.