I am glad that the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia - Datuk Muhyiddin made a statement regarding the state of the roads in Limbang!!
He was embarrassed!! Hadn't the government spent millions on infrastructure he asked? And yet on a recent visit to the borderlands of Brunei and Limbang he was "quite shocked". He found something quite unexpected. What did he expect? Probably good roads like in West Malaysia. Why was he not informed of the poor conditions of the roads?
I have taken some photos last year...and the years before...These photos tell you something.....
Vehicles queuing up at the Brunei and Limbang Border. In the past we waited like for five hours. He was right when he said it.
Typical road leading to settlements in Limbang and Lawas - dirt road built by the longhouse people themselves. Pantu palms line the roads. This means that settlements have been around for a long time and these gravel roads were actually made by the long house dwellers' efforts using rented bull dozers.
Here's a "good road" provided by the timber company - to link the longhouse access roads to the main roads to Limbang in Ulu Medamit. It is likely if there was no timber company here the longhouses might not even be linked by rough roads. For three of four generations the Ibans and others like the Kayans and Bisayas have been using the Limbang river and its tributaries. Now that petrol is so expensive many have even reverted back to human muscles. My own father in law would have to pay 160 ringgit per boat trip return from his long house to another longhouse for a wedding recently. But thank goodness he can use a motor bike like this guy above. However it would be hazarduous because of the heavy timber truck traffic here.
Part of Medamit "town" and timber yard "look" which can be seen from the timber road.
Part of the timber road. We do take risks but we are grateful to the "company".
4 wheel to be released of its rough road gear.....see how small these roads are!! 4 wheelers are the only way to travel on the rough paths and timber roads. However Kancils and Kembaras do make their way gracefully....and sometimes they "gallop". fun really if you are used to this kind of life. For at the end of the day you can feast on all the wild jungle vegetables. Amongst the food gatherers wild vegetables are plentiful. Wild meat is a thing of the past. Most longhouses have freezers and so the most common food is frozen chicken wings which now cost RM12.00 per kg in the ulu. Eating gold?
Will the roads in Ulu Limbang be better after the Deputy Prime Minister's visit? Hope promises would not be broken.
Hi Ah Ngao Yes we do pray that every road in Sarawak would be better and the West Malaysian government will provide better governance and care for the lower ranks of the rakyat...thanks.
No, it won't be better. Actually Samy Velu once commented that he expected to see dual carriageway for the so called Pan Borneo Highway. I think he meant the money allocated was actually for a much bigger road. But of course we have excuses why the size shrunk ... too many virgin jungles, compensation, mountainous, too swampy, etc. We, the people, can never beat the string of reasons available. I think the fact was probably due to too many sub contractors and at the end of it, perhaps only 20% of the allocation was for the actual building. I could be wrong.
i was at the rural hinterlands in West Malaysia.. little used roads leading to small little populated kampungs are serviced by beautiful wide roads n expensive bridges which are FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE and beautiful schools with small enrolment all paid by the govt. what a contrast yea?
I have to add another point,i strongly wish that next time any minister comes to 'malu sibu',i'll be very please to bring him/her around sibu town in my old humble car totally freee.... of charge,see how M A L U sibu roads are !!!
William Yes for people like who travel to Limbang and Sabah often we have to live with such road conditions and HOPE for the best. The long queues become part of our life lah....better than the small ferries which have to PALANG back and forth!! So slow we can crocodiles popping up!
BB Yes in West Malaysian Schools - excellent hostel facilities with soft mattresses and good infra structure every where. Teachers are well dressed in the rural areas and teaching very few classes every day. They go and pick up their children with full permission from their principals. Apparently most of them drive very big cars as their roads are very good. Culture of Caring.
Tp..you have an excellent suggestion. We used to say we must bring our AGONG to see our backyard...but our YBs want to show the best "development" to these big guns...to indicate how well they themselves have done!! At the end of these west Malaysians' "working" tour they only see excellent Federal results...very happy. Good report card.....back yard remains the same conditions for 60 years...
Ann We are now into the 10th Malaysia Plan....these are the promises in black and white....and we do have one more grouse....prices keep increasing...and not according to annual budget...when l kg of flour increases by 5 sen...buns increase by 30 sens. When sugar prices go up...even bus fares also go up!! In Malaysia...everything goes up!
"we" can take Kuching,Sibu(probably again),Bintulu...i'm not so sure and if Miri can be taken - that'd be jaw-dropping for them.i told my friends,if you looked carefully at the dacing,...it's a little bit tilted or senget(they laughed)
Hi Ah Ngao....there's a good song..."times are a-changing....." I must look at the dacing again. I was once told that there is never a perfect daching because of natural gravity.
14 comments:
yeah,all these years,all the monies earned from our Sarawak's so rich resources - mostly goes where? there'll be a wind of change soon
Hi Ah Ngao
Yes we do pray that every road in Sarawak would be better and the West Malaysian government will provide better governance and care for the lower ranks of the rakyat...thanks.
No, it won't be better. Actually Samy Velu once commented that he expected to see dual carriageway for the so called Pan Borneo Highway. I think he meant the money allocated was actually for a much bigger road. But of course we have excuses why the size shrunk ... too many virgin jungles, compensation, mountainous, too swampy, etc. We, the people, can never beat the string of reasons available. I think the fact was probably due to too many sub contractors and at the end of it, perhaps only 20% of the allocation was for the actual building. I could be wrong.
Just to feel M A L U for a moment is no concern !! Maybe all the feelings will be forgotten very s....oooon !!!
i was at the rural hinterlands in West Malaysia.. little used roads leading to small little populated kampungs are serviced by beautiful wide roads n expensive bridges which are FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE and beautiful schools with small enrolment all paid by the govt. what a contrast yea?
I have to add another point,i strongly wish that next time any minister comes to 'malu sibu',i'll be very please to bring him/her around sibu town in my old humble car totally freee.... of charge,see how M A L U sibu roads are !!!
saying is one thing, doing is another. Was there any promises for improvement?
William
Yes for people like who travel to Limbang and Sabah often we have to live with such road conditions and HOPE for the best. The long queues become part of our life lah....better than the small ferries which have to PALANG back and forth!! So slow we can crocodiles popping up!
T,p.
Yeah you are right. Promises can be forgotten soon. Some people even say definitely promises are MEANT to be broken....
BB
Yes in West Malaysian Schools - excellent hostel facilities with soft mattresses and good infra structure every where. Teachers are well dressed in the rural areas and teaching very few classes every day. They go and pick up their children with full permission from their principals. Apparently most of them drive very big cars as their roads are very good. Culture of Caring.
Tp..you have an excellent suggestion. We used to say we must bring our AGONG to see our backyard...but our YBs want to show the best "development" to these big guns...to indicate how well they themselves have done!! At the end of these west Malaysians' "working" tour they only see excellent Federal results...very happy. Good report card.....back yard remains the same conditions for 60 years...
Ann
We are now into the 10th Malaysia Plan....these are the promises in black and white....and we do have one more grouse....prices keep increasing...and not according to annual budget...when l kg of flour increases by 5 sen...buns increase by 30 sens. When sugar prices go up...even bus fares also go up!! In Malaysia...everything goes up!
"we" can take Kuching,Sibu(probably again),Bintulu...i'm not so sure and if Miri can be taken - that'd be jaw-dropping for them.i told my friends,if you looked carefully at the dacing,...it's a little bit tilted or senget(they laughed)
Hi Ah Ngao....there's a good song..."times are a-changing....." I must look at the dacing again. I was once told that there is never a perfect daching because of natural gravity.
Post a Comment