KAPIT, Jan 11 — The villagers of Rumah Mary and Rumah Sylvester Masing at Sungai Kapit here are appealing to the government for help in constructing riverbank protective structure and also the resurfacing works on the cement road.

One of the longhouse chieftains, TR Mary Batin, said soil erosion had caused the section underneath one end of the iron bridge across Sungai Kapit to become hollow.

“This situation is adversely affecting transportation, as that hollow section measures about one metre between the road and the edge of the bridge,” said Mary.

It was informed that the village security and development committee (JKKK) had used wooden planks to cover up the hollow section, so as to help the bridge withstand the vehicles passing over the structure.

“This measure is just temporary, while we wait for the government to take action,” said Mary.

She added that the 200m cement road linking the main road, Jalan Bukit Goram and the bridge was in a deplorable condition.

“There are many cracks and potholes on the road, which are not only inconvenient, but also dangerous.

“I reported these matters to the Kapit District Office earlier, but so far, no immediate action has been taken.

“Our hope is for the government to help us because this is the only link to Kapit town,” she said.

Rumah Mary has 43 units, and Rumah Sylvester has 20 units. — The Borneo Post