KUCHING: An opposition lawmaker was very upset over the structural defects that were discovered on Satok pedestrian suspension bridge.
“It’s a shock to know that the launch of the bridge has been suspended because of the structural problem,” said Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong Wui Wui.
“It is even more shocking to know that the designer is JKR Sarawak, a department on which engineers in Sarawak have to rely on for technical guidance.”
The bridge which is three metres wide and 213 metres long was constructed by Perkerjaan Piasau Konkerit Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Shin Yang.
“If a mere 213-metre span (bridge) can tilt by a foot (30.48cm), imagine what would happen to other bridges waiting to be built elsewhere in Sarawak,” she said in a press statement yesterday.
Yong said the competence of JKR Sarawak in designing is now being questioned due to what happened to the bridge.
“Heavy rain causing the river to flow fast is not an acceptable excuse. Whoever designed the bridge should be held responsible.
“Full investigation must be carried out to see where the fault lies — whether it’s a fault of the design or the contractor’s fault,” she said.
