KUALA BERANG: The Works Ministry will raise the issue of repair work on Jalan Aring 8-Kenyir-Kuala Jeneris in Hulu Terengganu, which collapsed during the recent monsoon season, at the post-Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (May 7).
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the move is aimed at enabling repair works on the route, which is frequently used to travel to Gua Musang in Kelantan and Cameron Highlands in Pahang, to restore connectivity for road users.
"This issue was raised by the local community, including during my meeting with them today. I will also hold discussions with the Terengganu Public Works Department (JKR) this afternoon," he said.
"I will raise the repair matter at the post-Cabinet meeting tomorrow," he told reporters after visiting the Malaysian Construction Academy (ABM) Eastern Region here Tuesday (May 6).
Previously, the stretch from KM187 to KM189 of Jalan Aring 8-Kenyir-Kuala Jeneris had been closed to all vehicles in November last year following landslides and soil deposits caused by heavy rain during the Northeast Monsoon.
When asked about the issues causing delays in the repair process of the federal road, Ahmad cited allocation issues as one of the main factors.
He added that the ministry had acknowledged the state government's request for RM36mil from the federal government to address the matter.
"Usually, such roads don't experience such significant collapses. The repair costs are quite high, so additional allocations from the Economy Ministry and the Finance Ministry are needed. However, this process will take time," he said.
Meanwhile, on another development, he proposed that entrepreneurship courses be incorporated into the curriculum for ABM trainees, either developed by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) or in collaboration with higher learning institutions, to boost the success of their careers.
"For instance, ABM Northern Region is located next to UUM (Universiti Utara Malaysia), so perhaps UUM can help develop an entrepreneurship course. In Terengganu, there are also universities that could collaborate to provide entrepreneurial input for the trainees," he said.
Thus far, ABM Eastern Region has trained a total of 43,764 trainees in construction programmes, while CIDB's subsidiary, CIDB Technologies (CIDB Tech), has recorded a total of 10,295 trainees in high-impact fields, as of December 2024.
For this year, ABM Eastern Region plans to enhance skills development programmes in critical trades such as gas pipe fitting and scaffolding, while CIDB Tech aims to expand high-quality training programmes in the oil and gas sector, backed by international certifications like ISO 9001, ISO 37001, and ISO 17024. — Bernama
