PENAMPANG: Development is supposed to improve lives. But for the Chuan family and neighbours in Kg Kiranau, Jalan Bansadon here, it meant misery and disruption to their daily lives.
Their village lies below the Pan Borneo highway under construction and the Moyog River on the other side.
After sending letters to District Office, District Council, Local Land and Survey office, Jabatan Kerja Raya, Jabatan Parit dan Saliran (JPS) and even a police report, they finally decided to call Daily Express.
Chuan said around May 2022, the land in front of their homes which was used as construction area for concrete beams, was turned into a dumping ground for discarded earth from the highway construction. A small vehicle struggling to pass through flooded road.
This resulted in muddy and flooded access roads to their homes which are impassable to smaller cars.
A retired engineer familiar with supervising big projects outside Penampang, said close contacts with village leaders necessary especially the Chairman of Village Security and Development Committees or JKKK to ensure no adverse effects to his people.
“I am surprised in my own village of Penampang, big time project implementers from outside simply come and bulldoze the project through our village,” he said.
“I have heard all their excuses such as unforeseen weathers, as if they don’t know it has been raining continuously in the last 12 months. Their project causes massive changes in topography and environment without any mitigation measures.”
If no government authority is taking action on their predicament, the engineer advised the residents to pool their resources and file a claim in court including the government as defendant.
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