TUARAN: Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) vice president Henry Saimpon has appealed to the Sabah government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to include the proposed road paving project connecting Mangkaladom-Palod-Gonipis-Poring in the Kiulu constituency as a priority in the 2024 budget, thereby speeding up implementation of the project.
He said KDM is of the opinion that the Kiulu-Batu 28 (Penampang-Tambunan Road) is important not only to local residents but can also be an alternative Kota Kinabalu-Tambunan road, especially if landslides occur along the Penampang-Batu 28 road.
“Previously, every time there was a landslide along the Penampang-Batu 28 road, road users had to use a long, time-consuming road through Kimanis Road and Keningau Town to reach the Tambunan district, while in actual fact the Kiulu-Batu 28 road could be used as an alternative road.
“Therefore, it is appropriate that the Kiulu-Batu 28 road be upgraded or paved, especially the Mangkalafom to Poiring road,” he said in a statement today.
Henry said this when commenting on the Ministry of Finance’s (MOF) decision three days ago to extend the period for collecting feedback related to the 2024 Budget through the 2024 Budget Proposal portal for a week until September 22, 2023.
Taking into account the golden opportunity given by the MOF, Henry, who is a local from Kg Bongol, Kiulu hopes that the appeal can be given due consideration.
“Since PBS ruled Sabah starting in 1985 (almost 38 years), the people of Kiulu have longed for the Kiulu-Batu 28 road to be completely paved…but there are still around 10 kilometres (Mangkaladom-Poring) that have not been paved after almost four decades.
“So we hope that the Mangkaladom-Poring road can be paved or at least the project starts before the next state election (PRN)… there are villagers who feel that the period of almost 40 years should be enough to plan and then pave the road,” he said.
Henry also suggested that the Department of Agriculture office be re-established in the sub-district of Kiulu.
He said that the proposal deserves attention since most of the residents of Kiulu are involved in agricultural activities, including paddy cultivation and hill paddy.
