Sabah govt to rebuild all damaged suspension bridges in Nabawan - Chief Minister

TUARAN: The Sabah government will rebuild all suspension bridges in Nabawan that were damaged and washed away in last month's floods, said Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor.

He said in the meantime, the state government had channelled allocations to relevant district offices to purchase boats and outboard engines to help residents to cross the river and conduct their daily activities.

He told reporters this at a media conference here today.

Earlier, he held a meeting with the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed to discuss the implementation of Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) Hardcore Poverty Eradication programme in the state.

Previously a video clip showed a group of children in school uniforms using a raft and a zip line to cross a river in Nabawan after a suspension bridge which was the villagers' only means of crossing the river was swept away by floodwaters.

On Thursday, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the federal government had agreed to provide emergency provisions to several villages in Nabawan that were badly affected by the floods, involving allocations for bridge construction and road maintenance.

Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister II Datuk Mohamad Alamin in a statement today said that the ministry was very concerned about the safety of school children and would work with all agencies involved to resolve the issue, adding that he hoped all parties including netizens would not blame the ministry in this issue as it was a public bridge that was not inside the school compound.

-- BERNAMA