Dilapidated Bridge Used By Students Declared Unsafe And Shut Down

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The dilapidated suspension bridge in Kampung Nelayan, Sandakan – which was being used by students from SK Sibuga Besar to get to school – has been shut down starting today by the local authorities due to safety concerns.
Umno’s Sungai Manila assemblyperson Mokran Ingkat informed Malaysiakini that officers from the Works Department (JKR), as well as engineers from the Sandakan City Council (MPS), found the bridge to be unsafe for use.
“I just got the news that the flooring of the bridge has been repaired but JKR and the MPS engineers have declared the bridge to be unsafe for use.
“The allocation application for the bridge’s full repairs are currently ongoing. MPS will shut down the bridge starting (today).
“As I informed you, the restoration works will take between three to six months from today. There is an alternative route to school that is the tarred road less than 4km away from Kampung Nelayan,” Mokran said in a text message to Malaysiakini.
Images of students from Kampung Nelayan having to cross the dilapidated suspension bridge to get to school attracted attention on social media since yesterday.
Children using the bridge
The images – shared by Bernama on its social media – depicted children in school uniforms carrying their backpacks and school supplies as they crossed the part of the suspension bridge that was missing most of the wooden planks on its deck.
Sungai Manila assemblyperson Mokran IngkatThe students are seen carefully gripping onto the rope railings as they navigated across the broken part of the bridge.
According to Bernama, these students from SK Sibuga Besar in Sandakan, Sabah, were forced to cross the dilapidated bridge to get to school on the first day of the school's reopening.
The images shared by Bernama have since gone viral on social media platforms, with many questioning how something like this can still happen in Malaysia.
Some expressed concern for the students’ safety while others accused the local elected representatives of not performing their duties.
In their responses yesterday, both Mokran and Bersatu’s Libaran MP Zakaria Mohd Edris said they had sent their officers to provide aid for the temporary repairs of the bridge.
Mokran had also said the bridge will require full restoration works, which requires more allocation and time. - Mkini

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