Long Apu students have to use longboats to go to school in Long San. – Photo by Marian Jiew
MIRI (Oct 7): It has been over one year since the old wooden bridge across Sungai Paong in Baram was swept away during a massive flood.
Although plans have been initiated to construct its replacement, Long Apu residents are still enduring life without the transport connection.
“We are angry. We are not satisfied with the delay because the longer it takes for the state government to build the bridge, the more the people here suffer,” resident Marian Jiew said when contacted today.
Marian Jiew
She said residents wanting to go to Miri or return to Long Apu have to either brave crossing rapid flowing waters with four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles or leave their vehicles in Long Anap and then travel by boat for 30 minutes.
According to her, most teachers at SK Long Apu preferred the second option.
“Some of them previously had their vehicles damaged as they tried to cross the river. Therefore, many of them now rather use boats to ride from Long Anap even though they have to pay extra for the transportation,” she said.
Marian also claimed that the village has been without medical services for over a year.
“We do not have a clinic in Long Apu, therefore every month there will be medical personnel from Long San clinic coming in from Long San.
“However, since the bridge collapsed, they had not been able to come. Those who are sick will have to go to Long San clinic by boat, bracing through the strong currents and rapids, which is very dangerous,” she lamented.
She pointed out villagers are also concerned about the safety of their children studying at SMK Temenggong Datuk Lawai Jau in Long San as they could only travel there by longboat.
“The boat ride from Long Apu to Long San takes about 45 minutes only but there are many rapids which are very dangerous. We are worried sick every time our children go to school in Long San or whenever they come back for school holidays,” she said.
A group of Long Apu residents hold banners to protest the delay in the construction of a new bridge across Sungai Paong, Baram on Thursday. – Photo by Marian Jiew
Yesterday, several Long Apu residents held a protest in Sungai Paong where the bridge once stood to highlight their plight.
They also shared on social media their pleas for the state government to expedite construction of a new bridge.
Long Apu residents use a longboat to transport their elderly to Long San clinic for a check-up. – Photo by Marian Jiew
When contacted, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said the state government is committed to helping the people, especially those in rural areas, but explained that building a bridge takes time.
According to him, when the bridge collapsed last year, he immediately initiated efforts to build a replacement.
“I had also been in communication with the Public Works Department (JKR) and they had come down to survey the site, of which they had estimated the cost to build the new bridge at RM3 million,” he said.
Dennis added he had also requested a timber company in the area build a temporary bridge and he was asked to buy concrete culverts which the company would use for construction.
“I had already bought the concrete culverts. It has been months now, the culverts are still at Tuyut Camp in Lapok,” he revealed.