Road projects should mandate restoration of warning devices to prevent accidents, says DAP man

Soo (left) poses with a scarecrow which was set up by the local residents with the intention to alert the public on the road accidents that have happened in the area.

KUCHING, Dec 28: The restoration of road warning devices must be included as a condition in the bidding standards for road projects in order to prevent traffic accidents, urges Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak representative, Soo Tien Ren.

Soo, assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, further added that the government’s contract with the contractors should mandate the restoration of warning devices before the project is considered complete.

“If these devices are treated as separate projects, road renovation contractors may disregard them, delaying the reinstallation of warning devices indefinitely.

“In such cases, who should be held responsible for the accidents, the government or the contractors?” Soo was quoted as saying in a press statement.

He went on to say that while the recent renovation of the road in front of the Thai Temple on Stephen Yong Road has been completed, it appears to have resulted in an increase in traffic accidents beginning this month.

Soo also mentioned that, according to local residents, the road segment had a history of frequent accidents even before the renovation. As a result, the residents had filed complaints with the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) a long time ago.

“In response to the residents’ demands, the council had installed warning pillars and speed bumps, which significantly reduced the frequency of traffic accidents after their installation.

“However, after the government completed the road renovation, the previously installed warning tools such as the pillars and speed bumps were removed by the contractor.

“Upon discovering this, the residents immediately requested the contractor to reinstall the warning pillars and speed bumps, but the contractor did not take any action to reinstate these safety measures,” he asserted.

Soo also claimed that five accidents occurred on Stephen Yong Road this month, including two on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, one of which involved a car knocking down a street lamp. — DayakDaily