SIBU: Political Secretary to Chief Minister Sarawak, Michael Tiang had been receiving many complaints regarding the traffic congestion during pick-up and afterschool hours. Traffic congestion hasn’t eased down since the schooling session began two weeks ago. Recently, Tiang, joined by SUPP Pelawan Sibu Chairman, Clarence Ting, visited SJK C Nang Sang and SMK Sungai Merah to inspect the situation.
Tiang pointed out that there are three factors causing the traffic congestion at Sungai Merah areas. “First of all, there is only one road to handle all the traffic; the traffic congestion is very serious during peak hour.”
“Secondly, some road users disobey the law by doing illegal parking or turning and etc. Last but not least, the residential areas has increased enormously for the past few years, increase in population without road upgrading causing the residents have to experience traffic congestion every day,” he told reporters yesterday. After discussion with the school, they plan to connect an additional road from Lane 38A opposite the SJK C.
Nang Sang, accessible from Lane 38, and parents can use the new road to drop off or pick up their children. Tiang expressed that he hopes this will temporarily ease the traffic congestion before approval of road upgrading works. He addressed that he had already met up with secretary of Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) to discuss on this matter. He then said SMC had agreed with the proposal and promised to connect the additional road very soon. He also mentioned that SMC has already included the proposal of upgrading two-way lane at Ulu Sg Merah in the Mid-Term Review of the Eleventh Malaysia Plan and submitted to State Government of Sarawak, request funding to upgrade the road and resolve the traffic congestion experienced by residents of Ulu Sg Merah.
