Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee urged the Sabah Forestry Department and Road Transport Department (JPJ) to take immediate action to tighten regulations on timber lorries, following the third serious accident involving a logging truck.
He said the latest incident, which occurred on April 21 in Nabawan, should serve as a clear wake-up call for the authorities to reassess current safety standards and regulatory enforcement on timber transportation along public roads in Sabah.
“This is the third serious accident in three months,” said the SAPP President, in a statement, Wednesday. The previous incidents occurred on Feb 21 and March 3.
“If the logging trucks are said to be complying with existing regulations, yet these accidents keep happening, then clearly those regulations are lacking and inadequate.”
On Feb 21, a round log reportedly fell from a lorry on Jalan Merotai-Kalabakan and crushed a double cab vehicle, injuring a pregnant passenger. The lorry involved was later confirmed by the authorities to be in compliance with regulations, with no forestry offences recorded.
Then, on March 3, a trailer carrying logs caught fire on Jalan Kalabakan-Tawau, raising further concerns about the safety of timber transport in the State.
The latest accident in Nabawan involved logs from a Yayasan Sabah concession, according to the Forestry Department.
Yong said a written reply dated April 17, 2025, from the Chief Minister’s Department, presumably prepared by the Forestry Department, in response to his question during the recent State Legislative Assembly sitting, confirmed the February incident lorry had adhered to all Forestry Department regulations.
“If such accidents can still occur despite supposed compliance, what does that say about the robustness of our safety checks and enforcement measures?” questioned Yong.
He called for an immediate review of the regulations governing timber lorries, particularly those operating on major public routes such as the Tawau-Kalabakan-Keningau highway.
“Companies transporting logs must be made to strictly adhere to improved safety regulations. We cannot wait for more accidents to happen before action is taken,” he stressed.
Yong said the safety of road users must be prioritised and urged relevant authorities to act decisively to prevent tragedies.