Pan Borneo Highway: Paved for progress, marred by litter

Borneo Post

2 days ago

Rubbish along the Pan Borneo Highway at Batu 19 Jalan Bintulu Area. – Photo courtesy of JKR Sarawak
KUCHING (Aug 17): As the Pan Borneo Highway continues to connect communities and become the backbone for economic activities across Sarawak, its image is increasingly marred by a less flattering sight which is litter piling up along the roadsides.
For motorists travelling towards Serian, Lundu or farther afield, the sight of discarded plastic bottles, food wrappers and other rubbish scattered on the verge is all too familiar.
What was envisioned as a modern link boosting connectivity and economic growth is, on many stretches, shadowed by an old problem: littering.
From busy interchanges to quieter shoulders, rubbish has found a way to accumulate, leaving road users and local communities frustrated.
The problem is not isolated.
Across the hundreds of kilometres of the Pan Borneo Highway, litter hotspots have emerged in predictable places like near lay-bys, p-turns and junctions.
Beyond being an eyesore, the rubbish can block drainage, attract pests,undermine Sarawak's tourism appeal and emit unpleasant odours.
In conjunction with the Works Ministry's upcoming month-long Pan Borneo cleanliness campaign, 'Jaga Pan Borneo Bait-Bait', this report takes a closer look at the roadside littering issue, the habits behind it, the people fed up with it and the agencies working to tackle it.
Motorists speak out
Allan Bungan, who occasionally drives between Kuching and Betong, says the litter problem spoils what should be a scenic drive.
'Most of the roadside areas are quite scenic, with greenery and stretches of open view,' said the corporate sector executive.
'But every now and then, the sight is spoiled by scattered rubbish such as plastic bottles, food wrappers, and even large discarded items, which takes away from the beauty of the highway.'
Allan Bungan
For Allan, seeing rubbish along the road is both disappointing and frustrating.
'It feels like people don't appreciate the effort and investment put into maintaining the Pan Borneo Highway, and it reflects poorly on us as a community,' he said, adding that outsiders, especially tourists, might think locals do not care about their environment.
He believes littering often stems from the mindset that it is 'someone else's job' to clean up, or from ingrained habits.
A lack of convenient disposal points could also be a factor. Allan's own solution is simple; he keeps a small rubbish bag in his car and empties it at the nearest bin.
To improve the situation, he suggested installing more animal-proof and weather-resistant bins at rest stops and key points along the highway, with clear signage to make them easy to find but beyond infrastructure, he hopes drivers will take personal responsibility.
'I'd like to see more people keep their rubbish in the car until they can dispose of it properly,' said Allan. 'It's such a small change that makes a big difference.'
He believed a mix of strong public awareness campaigns and consistent enforcement of fines, paired with education from a young age, could help build a lasting culture of cleanliness.
Endawina Edward, who commutes to work along the Pan Borneo Highway from Tapah to Serian, finds the situation deeply disappointing.
The government officer points out that in some areas, travellers can enjoy a variety of views from unique house designs to Chinese-owned plantations, but these are often marred by rubbish near junctions and P-turns where people slow down or stop.
Endawina Edward
'Not everyone is careless, but perhaps 20 per cent of people simply don't grasp the harm,' she said.
'It often comes down to selfishness and not thinking about the safety of others. If people could think beyond themselves, they might avoid doing things that can endanger others.'
Like Allan, she keeps a designated plastic bag in her vehicle and disposes of it properly only when she reaches a place with bins.
She too believes more bins at rest stops would make life easier for long-distance drivers who may also want to take short breaks.
Her hope is simple: 'Don't be selfish.' She also feels stronger enforcement is needed so that fewer people dare to litter.
JKR steps up
The Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak, acting as the Works Ministry's strategic partner, oversees the operation, maintenance and supervision of works to ensure compliance with the Pan Borneo Highway's terms and conditions.
As the highway is a federal road, the Works Ministry has appointed a maintenance contractor to carry out activities under JKR's supervision as the government representative.
JKR Sarawak director Dr Cassidy Morris explained that litter collection was never part of any federal road contract in Malaysia, whether for construction or maintenance.
'However, we noticed that after the opening of the Pan Borneo Highway, more and more litter ended up on our road shoulder,' he said.
This led to the creation of a new maintenance activity for litter collection under the Pan Borneo Highway Maintenance contract, with a twice weekly collection cycle for sections that have completed their defect liability period and been handed over for maintenance which is an improvement to the current Federal Road Maintenance contract.
Regular inspections are conducted to verify that planned maintenance works, including litter collection, are carried out as scheduled and audits are also done near junctions and rest stops to assess the extent of littering.
Dr Cassidy Morris
The biggest challenge, Cassidy noted, is not the cleaning schedule but public behaviour.
'The biggest challenge is road users throwing out their rubbish while driving on the Pan Borneo Highway, including those treating the highway as a dumping ground for their domestic waste.'
Bins and anti-litter signage at key spots along the highway are still under discussion with the Works Ministry, but JKR believes public education is equally critical.
'In essence, while we are dedicated to maintaining a clean Pan Borneo Highway for a pleasant driving experience, the journey to a litter-free environment on this crucial route hinges significantly on transforming public attitudes and fostering a collective sense of ownership and pride in Sarawak's natural beauty,' said Cassidy.
With the month-long cleanliness campaign, Cassidy hoped that the campaign would be able to increase the awareness of Sarawakians and highway users of the need for a clean, quality, sustainable and safe Pan Borneo Highway now and for future generations.
Members of the public who spot dirty stretches or illegal dumping can report the issue through several channels.
These include the hotline numbers displayed on roadside signage (013-227 3666), the Works Ministry's MyJalan app, Sarawak's Talikhidmat app, JKR Sarawak's Road Care number at 011-7017 1777, or the department's social media pages such as Facebook at facebook.com/jabatankerjarayasarawak and TikTok at @jabatankerjarayasarawak.
Reports can also be lodged directly with JKR's divisional offices: Kuching (082-203400), Samarahan (082-672800), Serian (082-876670), Sri Aman (083-322181), Betong (083-472101), Sarikei (084-654040), Sibu (084-314040), Bintulu (086-332077), and Miri (085-442244).
For easy identification, callers are encouraged to provide the chainage shown on roadside markers or GPS coordinates. cleanliness litterbug pan borneo highway rubbish trash