A pothole on a road at the West Bank of Sibu.
RESIDENTS are calling for a more sustainable approach to road maintenance in Sibu, especially along the main road from Sungai Maaw to Sungai Sadit, where potholes have become a major hazard.
Following complaints from West Bank residents, Sibu MP Oscar Ling’s special assistant Irene Wong went to inspect several badly damaged stretches.
She said potholes – whether large or small – posed a serious risk to motorists, particularly at night when visibility was poor.
Wong said the problem could be solved with quick, short-term patch jobs.
She called for a change in how road repairs were being carried out, urging use of higher-quality, longer-lasting materials.
“Some sections, like from Jalan Yong Kok junction to Jalan Chew Kung and from the Cheng Uong Methodist Church junction to Phong Hock Furniture Company, have been patched repeatedly but the repairs don’t last.
“We need a more durable solution,” she said in a statement.
Among the steps she proposed were upgrading the road base and drainage systems to better withstand heavy rain and flooding and reduce the chance of potholes forming; applying higher-grade asphalt or other modern surfacing technologies designed for flood-prone areas.
She also suggested implementing regular maintenance and more thorough inspections to detect and fix small potholes.
She also called for enhancement of road lighting to improve night-time visibility and reduce accidents due to potholes.
Wong said addressing the root causes of flooding was equally critical.
Without stronger flood management plans, new roads would suffer the same fate, she warned.
“It’s important for the government to plan ahead and carry out proper flood prevention measures.”
