Road expansion first, then culvert construction

SIBU: The recent flash flood at Jalan Ulu Sg. Merah, which caused a huge traffic jam especially in the vicinity of SMK Sg Merah, was due to heavy rain.

Pointing out this, chairman of Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) Clarence Ting Ing Horth said even before the occurrence, the council knew that the main culvert drain at SMK Sg. Merah had collapsed.

“There are many houses with about 5,000 people living further up after SMK Sg Merah. The Ulu Sg Merah Road is two-lane road. We knew that the main culvert drain had collapsed. If we want to dig up the drain, we need to do major piling and when we do major piling, we need to close one lane and this will create unnecessary hardships to all those people living further up the Ulu Sg. Merah Road. 

“Last month,Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang and I went there to find out if there was any faster way to resolve the problem.

“The proposal that SMC should put some PVC piling across the road to facilitate the flow of water also involves digging up the affected part of road for the purpose of piling. Otherwise, the PVC pipes will not stay. It may not work too because it involves closing one lane”, he told a press conference at his SMC office yesterday (Dec 28).

Ting said SMC was of the view that since the only traffic jam points for Jalan Ulu Sg Merah were in front of SMK Sg Merah and SJK Nang Sang, the Land and Survey Department should carry out the road expansion first in front of the two schools.

“It must do the expansion first at these areas so that we can close one lane of the road and then do the culvert construction work because this is part and parcel of the contract. If Sibu MP Oscar Ling has a better way of doing it, please come and talk to us. We are most willing to listen.

“We need proper planning and I will leave it to the experts to ensure that these sort of things like sunken drain and culvert will not recur.

“This morning (Dec 28) when I read the statement from Ling, he seemed to think this culvert could be done quickly in time for the reopening of the school term. I can tell you there is no such thing. I just want to draw your attention to the culvert construction at Jalan Lanang opposite Jalan Dungun near Jalan Aman which took eight months and the other one undertaken by JKR at Jalan Salim. Culvert construction takes time,” he said..

Pointing out that the council together with the state government planned to wait for the expansion of the road before constructing the culvert, Ting said the state government had already approved a RM45 million allocation for the upgrading of the road. The project would start in early 2024.

Hoping that the residents in the area could work with the council because the culvert construction would take time, Ting said the bus stop shelter in front of SMK Sg Merah had to be demolished.

“That is the entrance of the culvert drain built by the school and not by SMC.

“That culvert drain is always filled with water. Our engineer is saying because the road is slanting at that part, the culvert drain is likely to have collapsed,” Ting added.

Also present at the press conference were acting SMC engineer Tonny Wong, SMC’s Standing committee chairman Roland Ting Hua Sing and vice chairman, Rory Wong.

From left, Rory, Clarence, Tonny and Roland at the press conference.