-1 Concreting works being carried out at the pavement of one of the backlanes of Kota Kinabalu's Sinsuran area.
KOTA KINABALU: The back lanes at popular tourist spots here are finally getting a facelift after being an eyesore for over a decade.
Major repairs on broken pavements, among other problems, are underway after state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew highlighted the mess found on the back streets of the Sinsuran commercial area in the heart of Kota Kinabalu town.
“The eyesore on the back alley will soon be a thing of the past,” she said after a visit to the area, where she was briefed by the contractor on the upgrading works.
Liew said the repairs involve the back streets of five blocks of shoplots.
The Sinsuran commercial spot sits close to areas that include the popular Kota Kinabalu handicraft market (locally known as the Filipino market).
It is also home to several hotels including five-star accommodations.
During a walkabout in March, Liew said the condition of the Sinsuran back street was embarrassing as the place smelled foul besides being covered in litter and filth.
She also observed that water was spilling from burst pipes, besides broken pavements, a damaged pedestrian walkway and gaping holes on five-foot ways.
“I am shocked. It is so unhygienic,” she said then.
She told the relevant authorities including the city administrators to take immediate steps to rectify the situation.
The issue led to Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Noorliza Awang Alip saying that they needed to amend building bylaws to compel landlords to improve the condition of private structures registered in their name.
