KOTA KINABALU: A dilapidated bridge connecting hundreds of households to the main road in Kampung Kawiyan, Ranau, has collapsed again.
The bridge, said to have fallen previously and caused two deaths, was repaired but collapsed earlier this week when a lorry drove over it.
The vehicle fell into the river below, but its driver survived.
Villagers are calling for the Sabah government to step up and build a stronger bridge that can take both light and heavy vehicles.
Facebook user Grace Tampig shared information and photos of the incident, believed to have happened on Tuesday (Jan 6).
She asked how villagers were supposed to go about their daily lives.
"What if there is an emergency, such as an accident, or people needing to go to the hospital to give birth or seek medical attention?" she wrote.
Other villagers said that people can walk across the river when the level is low, but it is dangerous.
"We hope the government can speed up the construction of a concrete bridge because many villages are affected.
"How many more years do we have to wait?" asked one villager, who declined to be named.
Some argued that the lorry driver was irresponsible for using a bridge not meant for heavy vehicles, but agreed that a stronger structure should have been built long ago.
State Civil Defence Force officials said they were told of the incident and tried to reach the site on Friday (Jan 9) after the weather improved, but were prevented by poor road conditions.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department officials said they were aware of the lorry incident, but no emergency call or official complaint had come in.
Ranau MP Datuk Jonathan Yasin said the Public Works Department had checked the bridge after the incident, and the next steps are being discussed among the relevant departments and agencies.
For the time being, he urged villagers to be cautious when crossing the river, especially during the rainy season.
He added that rebuilding the bridge would be part of a long-term solution.
