By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 29: The local authority and contractor handling the Jalan Mendu flood mitigation project have been urged to immediately remove exposed metal rods and other dangerous fixtures at the construction site, as well as review traffic management and safety measures to prevent potential accidents involving road users.
The call was made by Michael Kong, special assistant to Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who expressed concern over safety risks arising from the prolonged delay of the project.
Kong said the project was originally scheduled for completion on Feb 9, 2026, but is now approaching six months beyond its original deadline, with no clear indication that the works would be completed soon.
“However, during this period of delay, public safety must not be compromised. One of the most persistent complaints raised by road users concerns the temporary plastic safety barriers placed along the construction site.
“These barriers have become a constant nuisance and hazard to motorists. On numerous occasions, they have been found toppled over or sprawled across the roadway, creating unnecessary danger, particularly for motorcyclists and during periods of poor visibility,” he alleged in a statement today.
He said further feedback from members of the public led him to inspect the site, where he observed that metal rods (rebar) had been used to secure the plastic barriers.
“This is an extremely worrying development as many of these metal rods protrude from the barriers and pose a serious risk to road users,” he said.
Kong warned that unlike plastic barriers, exposed metal rods could cause far more severe consequences if struck by vehicles or motorcycles, potentially piercing vehicles or resulting in serious injuries to motorists.
“Safety measures are meant to reduce risk and not create new ones,” he said.
He urged the local authority and contractor to ensure that all temporary barriers were installed according to proper safety standards and that any exposed metal rods or other hazardous fixtures were removed immediately.
“Road users had already endured months of traffic disruptions and inconvenience due to the prolonged construction works. The least they should expect is a construction site that is properly managed and does not expose them to unnecessary danger,” he added. — DayakDaily
