RM106m to repair damaged roads

MARAN: The Federal Government has set aside RM106 million for flood-stricken states.

The worst-hit, Terengganu, will receive the largest allocation of RM40 million, so that it could repair damaged and sunken roads.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor said the amount was set based on reports received from all the Public Works Department's (PWD) branches, between October last year to Jan 5.

"We have taken a proactive approach by instructing the state PWD and concession companies to begin repair works on damaged stretches.

"There was an increase in the number of damaged roads due to last year's floods compared with the previous year's.

"Besides the damaged roads, the ministry has also spent some RM150 million to upgrade 184 culverts located along main roads throughout the country, as part of preparations to tackle the floods."

He said this after visiting a sunken road along Jalan Kuantan-Maran, near Kampung Teras Luit, here yesterday.

Besides the allocation for Terengganu, Shaziman also announced that Pahang and Kelantan would receive RM23.6 million and RM9.2 million respectively.

Allocations, he said had also been set aside for Perak (RM12.7 million), Selangor (RM11.7 million), Kedah (RM3.4 million), Negri Sembilan (RM3.2 million) and Malacca (RM2.7 million).

He said the ministry had also given the nod to Pahang's PWD's request to raise the level of Jalan Jabor in Jerangau near here.

The ministry, he added would hold further discussions to upgrade the stretch, which was submerged for three weeks during the recent floods.

Also present were Maran member of parliament Datuk Ismail Abu Muttalib and state PWD director Datuk Ir Rosman Yahaya.