Road works target high-tide waterlogging

SIBU: Road maintenance works along Jalan Chung Nam Chong in Tanjung Kunyit at the West Bank here have begun to address waterlogging during high tides.

Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) Standing Committee chairman for Environment and Public Health, Councillor Kevin Lau on Tuesday afternoon stepped up efforts to ensure local infrastructure concerns translate into tangible improvements for residents.

He led his team on an inspection to review maintenance works undertaken by the SRDC under the MARRIS Fund, before visiting an e-Kasih housing repair project nearing completion.

Lau, who is also Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Bawang Assan Branch chairman, said residents had previously raised concerns over water accumulating along certain sections of Jalan Chung Nam Chong during high tides, affecting road conditions and causing inconvenience to road users.

With maintenance works now underway, he said the focus was on alleviating the problem and improving road conditions to provide residents with safer and more convenient access.

He thanked Councillor Justin Wong Sing Ing, Kapitan Ting Siew Kiew and Penghulu Yong King Sung for their contributions and cooperation in addressing the issue.

He said he would continue monitoring the works to ensure they proceeded smoothly and were completed as intended.

The visit also extended to an e-Kasih housing repair project, where improvements to a beneficiary’s home are nearing completion despite a limited budget.

Among the improvements were repairs to the kitchen and toilet areas, while old metal railings were replaced with wooden railings to enhance safety within the home.

Lau expressed appreciation to the Sibu District Office for assisting with the application process, which enabled eligible beneficiaries under the e-Kasih programme to obtain assistance to improve their living conditions.

He said the two projects reflected the importance of addressing community needs on different fronts, from tackling road maintenance issues to ensuring that assistance reached families requiring better and safer housing.

“Listening to residents’ concerns and working with the relevant parties to resolve local issues remain important parts of our community service,” he said.

“My team will continue to follow up on ongoing projects, identify areas requiring attention and work with the relevant authorities and community representatives to address residents’ needs.

“The ultimate objective is to ensure that local development and welfare assistance brought practical improvements to everyday life in the community, ” added Lau, who is also SUPP Youth Chief.