Villagers risk their lives crossing unsafe hanging bridge in Kota Belud

Children have to carefully walk across a single thin plank in hopes of not slipping and getting cut or stuck in the wire mesh gaps in Kg Melangkap in Kota Belud.

KOTA KINABALU: A local non-governmental organisation (NGO), Hope Malaysia, is urgently seeking partners to help villagers rebuild their dilapidated 200m hanging bridge and provide clean water to villagers of Kg Melangkap Tiong in Kota Belud district about 90km from here.

Hope Malaysia spokesman Aaron Bosuang said that the children in the village were facing a daily risk of using the "unsafe" hanging bridge to get to their school at SK Melangkap while the 700 villagers do not have proper water supply.

Hope Malaysia, which has been carrying out livelihood projects in the Kota Belud area, is now seeking assistance from companies to support their initiative to repair or replace the hanging bridge while also assisting to put in place a proper water system.

"The community’s 200m-long hanging bridge about 100m above a fast-flowing river is the main way for young children to easily cross the river to their school.

"But now it is a hazard for its users, the bridge is worn-out and deteriorating due to bad weather and floods.

"The wooden planks on the bridge are mostly broken and fragile. Some parts of the damaged wire mesh holding the bridge have also caused injuries to the children," he said in a statement.

He said the villagers continued to use the bridge as the alternative route was longer and took an extra 30-45 minutes more for each trip.

"The villagers have been appealing for help since 2017, but no action has ever been taken," he said, adding that they work with companies under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

For more details on its sustainable initiatives and project proposals, email Aaron at [e-mail] or contact [phone]. Visit www.hopesmalaysia.com/ourwork to learn more about their rural work.

Issues pertaining to dilapidated hanging bridges in many areas across Sabah have been highlighted on social media from time to time with some repaired while others continue to wait for assistance.