JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 10 — The Ministry of Works has stressed that all standard operating procedures (SOPs) for road collapse repair works have been fully adhered to, including those at KM52 of Jalan Kuala Jeneris-Sungai Gawi-Aring (Bukit Kawah).

Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said every safety-related SOP is mandatory, to ensure that road users remain cautious and fully aware of the risks in the affected area.

He said that the concrete barriers and warning signs installed at the site were of a higher, fixed standard, and not of the portable type.

“That is our standard procedure whenever an incident occurs on the road. We put up all the necessary safety measures, including warning signs and barriers, to ensure road users exercise caution, and are aware of the situation at the affected location.”

“Apart from the barriers, we also placed closure notices at every entry point, to inform road users that the area was closed,” he said at a press conference at the National Technical Professions Day (HPTN) 2025, held at Persada Johor International Convention Centre, here, today.

Also present were Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi; Deputy Works Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan; and state Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman, Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.

He said this when asked about the latest developments regarding the landslide incident at KM52 Jalan Kuala Jeneris-Sungai Gawi-Aring (Bukit Kawah).

Meanwhile, Nanta said repair works at the site could only commence now, because the project required a substantial allocation of RM36 million, which was only approved in March this year.

“The area collapsed in November 2024, and the allocation was only approved in March this year. With that funding now in place, the contractor appointment process is underway, and repair works will begin soon,” he said.

When asked whether road-user negligence was a factor in the incident, he said the matter had been handed over to the police for further investigation.

“Let the police issue a statement regarding the element of negligence. The Public Works Department (JKR) team is conducting its own investigation from a technical perspective,” he said.

On December 5, a soon-to-be-wed couple who were travelling in an SUV from Hulu Terengganu to Gua Musang were killed, after the vehicle skidded and plunged 61 metres into a ravine, at KM52 of Jalan Kuala Jeneris-Sungai Gawi-Aring (Bukit Kawah).

Police earlier said negligence was believed to have caused the incident, and inspections discovered that warning signs and concrete barriers at the location had been removed by irresponsible individuals. — Bernama