By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 10: Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Tan Kai has called on Michael Kong, in his capacity as chairman of the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), to also take firm action against heavy lorries causing damage to residential roads.
Tan was responding to Kong’s statement issued on July 9, in which the latter highlighted complaints from residents of Lotak Villas in Batu Kawah, an area under MPP’s jurisdiction, regarding road damage caused by an increasing number of heavy lorries.
Kong stated that the damage stemmed from the excessive weight of these vehicles navigating narrow residential lanes, which were not built to accommodate such heavy loads.
Kong, who is also the special assistant to Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, had urged MPP to act swiftly. He urged the council to engage the developer using the lorries and issue a stern warning, including the potential issuance of a stop-work order if damage to the roads continues.
In response, Tan pointed out that CVLB, as the authority responsible for issuing commercial vehicle licences, should reassess the requirements and restrictions for lorries transporting earth or construction materials.
“The problem begins with those issuing the lorry licences, and the consequences fall on the Council to manage,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He stressed that MPP has already taken enforcement action by denying road access to a developer carrying out earthworks without the required permit.
In fact, a project site was closed just last month due to non-compliance with MPP regulations.
Tan added that MPP has also directed the responsible developer to reinstate and repair the damaged roads.
He reiterated that CVLB and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) should review their licensing procedures and enforce the law if any lorry is found to be operating outside of its licence conditions.
On June 26, following a full council meeting, Tan had announced that all private developers are now required to obtain engineering approval and road permits, including specifying heavy vehicle routes, before beginning any project involving the transport of construction materials within MPP areas.
He stressed that this measure is essential to prevent further damage to residential roads, which are not designed for industrial traffic.
MPP has recorded frequent damage to such roads caused by unauthorised movement of heavy vehicles, leading to costly and repeated repairs that burden public funds.
Tan reminded developers that failure to comply constitutes a breach of Section 8A of the Sarawak Building Ordinance 1996, as well as a violation of conditions tied to planning approval. He warned that offenders risk enforcement actions, including site closure by MPP’s Engineering and Enforcement Division, with police support if necessary. — DayakDaily
