VILLAGERS' PLEA FOR BETTER BRIDGES

SOME 300 residents of Kampung Belemang, Mukim Serom in Ledang want better roads in their village.

FALLING APART: The railings on the bridge in Mukim Serom, Ledang are rusty and are not capable of preventing anyone from falling into the river.

The main road leading into the village from Pekan Serom is a metre wide and can only accommodate one vehicle at a time.

The bridges that connected the village to Belemang 1, 2 and 3 are also narrow and their railings are rusting.

Villager Abd Ghani Jaafar, 43, said the 7km main road into the village also posed a problem for the villagers in Kampung Kolam and Telok Bakung.

He said the narrowness of the road made it difficult for the residents, who were mostly farmers, to transport their produce into town.

Farmer Ah Lam, 50, said he hatef going on the bridge for fear of encountering traffic from the opposite direction.

"I am worried because the railings are rusty I could easily fall into the river," he said.

Villager Ramli Mohamad said the road to Kampung Kolam was badly damaged by heavy vehicles that transported construction materials and agricultural products.

Meanwhile, Kampung Kolam Village Development and Safety Committee chairman Yahya Othman said the road problem had been brought to the attention of the Ledang District Office.

He said the villagers expected the roads and bridges to be upgraded during the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"This should be possible in view of the government's recent announcement of an additional budget of RM30 billion to upgrade rural facilities and infrastructure."

SOURCE: JOHOR BUZZ, NEW STRAITS TIMES, 14 NOVEMBER 2008