State govt to take over nearly 6,000km logging roads across Sarawak

KUCHING (Nov 28): The Sarawak government is currently in the process of gazetting abandoned, active, and inactive logging roads as state roads to enable systematic maintenance under the State Road Maintenance Programme.

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Aidel Lariwoo said 5,977.038km of logging roads statewide have been identified for takeover.

“Once the gazettement of these roads as state roads is completed, the Sarawak government will take over their maintenance under the State Road Maintenance Programme,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).

He said the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak and Sarawak Forest Department have identified active logging roads that connect rural settlements across the state.

In Kapit Division alone, he said 3,781.694km of roads have been registered under the programme, comprising 2,353.28km state roads, 1,417.82km of village roads, and 10.594km agricultural roads.

Aidel said this in response to Nicholas Kudi Jantai (GPS-Baleh) who had raised concerns over logging roads with active licences but no ongoing operations, which prevented JKR from obtaining approval to carry out maintenance works.