State Works Ministry wants full updates on Sabah roads in need of repair

KOTA KINABALU: All district offices across Sabah have been instructed to provide the Works Ministry with a list of all the roads in their purview that require upgrading or maintenance.

State Public Works Department director Datuk Ali Ahmad Hamid said the ministry was calling for this information so that it can expedite repairs on damaged roads.

“For roads not under the ministry, it can help apply for funds and divert the attention to the relevant parties.

“Public perception (is that) damaged roads are always linked to the Public Works Department, even though some roads are not under our jurisdiction,” he said in a statement Sunday (April 24).

According to Ali, roads not under the department's responsibility include federal roads, agriculture and plantation roads, or those belonging to other agencies.

“For roads with unverified jurisdiction, (we still need) the information (so that) it is easier for us to follow up," he added.

Such follow-ups include helping the respective district office to add the road to the Malaysia Road Record Information System (Marris) and Sabah Road Record Information System (Sarris).

“If immediate allocation cannot be obtained this year, we can apply for it next year. That is also why we need road data from the district offices,” Ali explained.

He said so far, three district offices had submitted the necessary information.