KOTA KINABALU - The proposal to build a Bailey bridge to immediately connect the Pensiangan area to Kampung Salinatan in Nabawan, which was disconnected due to a landslide, can be considered if the road structure is suitable for construction.
However, Pensiangan MP Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the severe condition of the road due to the landslide has made it difficult to install the Bailey bridge.
"This is a Public Works Department (JKR) road and if the road structure is suitable for a Bailey bridge, the proposal can be considered.
"Moreover, the logistics to the location are not easy for the lorries needed to transport the large iron beams for the Bailey bridge installation to enter," he said when contacted by Sinar today
He said this when asked if there was a proposal to build a Bailey bridge in the area, as it was a type of portable bridge that can be quickly assembled.
Arthur, who is also the Deputy Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister said an alternative route to connect the area has been established.
"A temporary alternative route has already been constructed by JKR," he said.
On Saturday, it was reported that food supplies were cut off for more than 300 residents in four villages in Pensiangan for almost a week due to the main road being inaccessible following a landslide on Sept 5.
A total of 76 families were affected by the incident, which occurred along the district road, including a bridge swept away by currents.
The affected villages were Kampung Salinatan, Kampung Tulir, Kampung Bolar Baru and Kampung Kasumunsing, in addition to teachers and staff at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Salinatan.
A total of 2.3 tonnes of food aid could only be delivered last Tuesday after a group of NGOs from the Forces of Love (FOL) and the firemen braved the challenging route for an 18-hour journey.
In a statement, Arthur announced that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had agreed to allocate emergency funds for road maintenance works and the construction of a new bridge that was disconnected along Jalan Panabaan-Pensiangan.