SANDAKAN, Jan 13 — Pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sibugal Besar from Kampung Nelayan Tengah and Kampung Pampang near here will have to take about an hour to get to school if the suspension bridge at Sungai Batang is closed.
When met by Bernama, Nur Juwita Julianna Amson, 12 from Kampung Nelayan Tengah said she used to walk using the main road to commute to school and it took her twice the time compared to using the suspension bridge.
“It will only take me 30 minutes to get to school using the bridge.
“If the bridge is closed, I will have to ask my brother to send me to school and take me home later on a motorcycle. To walk to school is too far,” she said.
The Public Works Department (JKR) and the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) had ordered the suspension bridge to be closed effective yesterday due to its dilapidated condition as this could pose a danger to its users.
However, checks by Bernama today showed no closure notice was placed on the bridge and villagers, including school children, were still using it.
Meanwhile, SK Sibugal Besar Parents and Teachers Association (PIBG) vice-head Roslan Muksan said the school had raised the issue because the safety of pupils were compromised but the change of government in 2018 had caused repair works to be suspended.
”We are aware that the closure of the bridge will affect the schoolchildren who usually walk from Kampung Nelayan Tengah and Kampung Pampang, but this is all for their safety,” he said.
