KOTA KINABALU - The poor work quality of a third-party contractor has allegedly caused the road in Jalan Gum-Gum, Sandakan, to be damaged, even though it had been improved previously.
Sabah Public Works Minister Datuk Ir Shahelmey Yahya said that the viral issue circulating on social media has been taken note of by the Public Works Department (JKR).
"Actually, the road was widened previously, but it was done by a third party.
"It is not due to the use of poor-quality materials, but the possibility of poor work quality during the widening process," he told Sinar Harian today.
He made the remark in regard to the issue of roads in Sandakan being damaged and going viral across social media recently.
The Deputy Chief Minister added that the district-level JKR should have checked and monitored the work done more carefully.
"The damage was not done by the maintenance contractor (concession), but by another contractor who had been appointed.
"So the matter had been taken into account by JKR, and JKR had instructed the road concessionaire to carry out mending this year," he stressed.
Sinar Harian today reported that the road had suffered another damage after about three weeks of the Borneo Tour by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Billah Shah, to the area.
Some of the roads are now back to looking like 'the moon' as can be seen in some pictures shared on social media, the report said.