KOTA KINABALU: Villagers in Kg Mentapuk were forced to carry a coffin by boat across a river due to the absence of a safe crossing, a situation highlighted in the State Assembly by Paginatan assemblyman Datuk Rusdin @ Musidi Riman.
He said the incident reflects the continuing infrastructure gap in rural Sabah, where basic access remains a daily struggle for many communities.
Rusdin also revealed that 124 families were recently cut off after the Sungai Melaut bridge was damaged, while 927 households in Paginatan remain classified as poor amid ongoing issues involving roads, water and electricity supply.