Nanta urges collective responsibility for cleanliness along Pan Borneo Highway

Borneo Post

2 days ago

Nanta (second left) and Majang (left) lend a hand with the local community in collecting rubbish at the P-Turn along the Pan Borneo Highway.
BINTULU (Aug 18): Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi has called on the public, local authorities, and the media to work together to keep public places clean, stressing that cleanliness should not be the sole responsibility of the government or enforcement agencies.
He said existing anti-littering laws are already in place under the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), and therefore, there is no need for new ordinances.
'We do not need to have new rules on cleanliness. The anti-littering law is already there. If enforcement is needed, we should refer to what is already available under BDA's ordinance.
'This is a public place and you cannot just say it is a federal road, so only the federal government should be responsible. It is our collective responsibility,' he told reporters when asked about the enforcement against littering along the Pan Borneo Highway.
He said this after officiating the Pan Borneo Sarawak cleanliness campaign — 'Jaga Pan Borneo Bait-Bait' — at the P-Turn of Pan Borneo Highway (Bintulu-Miri) today.
Nanta urged BDA to step up enforcement efforts and assist in maintaining the cleanliness of public areas.
At the same time, he assured that his ministry would review whether such maintenance falls under its scope.
'On our part, we will ensure that if cleanliness is clearly under our scope, we will hold the responsible parties, including concessionaires, accountable. But it will be costly to deploy officers along every road, which is why we appeal to the public to have self-discipline and refrain from littering,' he added.
Nanta cautioned that relying solely on enforcement would be too expensive and unsustainable for the country.
Instead, he emphasised the importance of public awareness and advocacy.
He also reminded the media to play a constructive role in promoting civic consciousness, rather than focusing only on shortcomings of agencies.
'We want advocacy with the public, and we hope the media will help disseminate information and highlight this problem positively. Don't just highlight weaknesses or complaints against the authorities.
'You too have a responsibility to help convince the people to play their role in keeping public spaces clean. Civic-mindedness is key,' Nanta stressed.
He also reminded the public of the importance of the Pan Borneo Highway, describing it as a valuable national asset that has significantly improved daily life.
'We must realise how important this asset is. The Pan Borneo Highway has made life so much easier compared to before. This is our shared asset, so let us take good care of it and support the government in maintaining it, not for anyone else, but for ourselves,' he said.
He added that the public should not need constant reminders to look after such facilities.
'If we can truly understand that this is for our own good, then we don't have to be told to take care of it,' he stressed.
On the latest updates on the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sarawak, Nanta said it is nearing full completion, with only a few remaining stretches, especially in Bukit Song and Lambir yet to be completed.
He revealed that for Bukit Song, the contractor has assured the government that works will be completed ahead of schedule.
'As of yesterday, the contractor gave us assurance that by Sept 30, they will be able to complete it, about one month ahead of schedule. This is something good,' Nanta said.
He explained that progress at Lambir, near Miri, has been more challenging due to the delicate task of relocating major water pipelines.
'Construction itself is not the issue, the contractor know what to do. But we cannot risk interrupting water supply to Miri and its surrounding areas, because people are very sensitive about water for their daily needs. That is why this part takes more time,' he explained.
Nanta stressed that while the overall length of the Pan Borneo Highway is now very close to 100 per cent completed, the project must be viewed in its entirety rather than in isolation.
'There are 16 sections, known as the red line, which were never part of the original Pan Borneo project. At that time, these sections were in good condition and the government wanted to spend money wisely, so they were omitted.
'But now, after so many years, with the Pan Borneo built to the best standard, the difference in quality between these 16 sections and the rest becomes clear,' he explained.
He said attention is now being given to upgrading those stretches, particularly in Sibu, so that they meet the R5 standard of the Pan Borneo Highway.
Meanwhile, three Rest and Service Areas (RSA) have been planned along the highway.
'One RSA at Jelukong, near Sri Aman, has already been completed, while two more are underway in other locations. These facilities are part of the project's scope, and we are fully aware of the need to provide proper rest areas for highway users,' Nanta said.
Also joining him for the cleaning up activity were Infrastructure and Port Development Deputy Minister Dato Majang Renggi, Tanjong Batu assemblyman Johnny Pang and JKR Sarawak deputy director (Infrastructure) Wisil Lichok. alexander nanta linggi cleanliness lead pan borneo highway