TUARAN – The Sabah government will rebuild all suspension bridges in Nabawan that were damaged and washed away in last month’s floods, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He also said, in the meantime, the state government had channelled allocations to relevant district offices to purchase boats and outboard engines to help residents in crossing the river and conducting their daily activities.
He told reporters this at a media conference here today.
Earlier, he held a meeting with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Affairs) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed to discuss the implementation of the Keluarga Malaysia Hardcore Poverty Eradication programme in the state.
Previously a video had gone viral showing a group of children in school uniforms using a raft and a zip line to cross a river in Nabawan after a suspension bridge, which was the villagers’ only means of crossing the river, was swept away by floodwaters.
On Thursday, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the federal government had agreed to provide emergency provisions to several villages in Nabawan that were badly affected by the floods, involving allocations for bridge construction and road maintenance.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister II Datuk Mohamad Alamin in a statement today said that the ministry was very concerned about the safety of school children and would work with all agencies involved to resolve the issue.
He added that he hoped all parties including netizens would not blame the ministry regarding this issue, as it was a public bridge that was not inside the school compound. – Bernama, April 30, 2022
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