Thursday, December 30, 2010
He would be worried whether the cables of the 40-year-old bridge would snap while it was being used by parents, pupils and teachers.
However, when the new school term begins next week, he will not be worried any more as a new semi-concrete bridge built next to the suspension bridge has finally been completed.
“I have to thank the Federal and state governments for improving the infrastructure in and around the school, especially Sri Aman Deputy Resident Desmond Jerukan and his team for their tireless efforts.”
Desmond, an administrative officer-cum-Deputy Resident who monitored the planning and implementation of the RM400,000 new bridge since construction began last year, said the 80m-long and five-metre wide bridge was built in two phases.
He said despite repeated requests since 2006 through the elected representatives and government agencies here, the new bridge project failed to materialise due to bureaucratic problems and financial constraint.
Fed up with the situation, Desmond had no choice, but report SK Nanga Klassen’s plight to the prime minister via the latter’s 1Malaysia blog and to the Prime Minister’s Department in May 2009.
“Although the suspension bridge had not claimed any lives yet, I did not wait until it happened. Something must be done, and through team effort which also involved elected reps, the Public Works Department and other relevant agencies here and in Kuching, I gathered all the information and sent them to the blog and Prime Minister’s Department.”
To his surprise, weeks later several four-wheel-drive vehicles from the state Development Office of the Prime Minister’s Department came to the village.
Stressing that the completion of the new bridge was a team effort, he said one of the valuable lessons he learnt was the need to overcome bureaucratic red tape when it came to development projects. — Bernama
Read more: 1Malaysia blog helps school get new bridge http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/28blog/Article#ixzz19Yh0JN9i