Buffalo cart episode a grim reminder, says Siambun
Published on: Friday, February 27, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Moyog Assemblyman Terrence Siambun said the recent news report about the "buffalo ambulance" at Kg Niatang in Pitas is a grim reminder to all Malaysians on how badly the interior areas in Sabah are under the Barisan Nasional (BN). As a Sabahan, he felt very ashamed and angry at the same time with what he read because indigenous Sabahans in the interior are being ignored."The question is, has anyone from that village (Kg Niatang) approached any government agent or officer for the construction of the badly needed road?
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"If the answer is yes, then why did the Government delay the construction of the road?" he asked.He said that he is appalled that some BN leaders enjoy sealed roads leading up to their houses on hill tops while the people suffer ill-maintained infrastructure. The BN, he claimed, obviously attempted to treat the 'buffalo ambulance' issue as an 'isolated' case.But, unfortunately, the picture of a man in a crude cart pulled by a buffalo depicts the painful reality which indigenous Sabahans in the interior have to endure every day.
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"Even the Moyog constituency which is located only about 13 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu is not spared."The only road access that connects the villagers in Terian and Buayan (which are located deep in the interior of Moyog) is the infamous 'jalan kayu balak' (timber road) that is accessible only by four-wheel-drive despite the area being populated by more than 1,000 people," he said.
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According to him, the villagers in Terian and Buayan, previously, had to trek across rivers, hills and valleys for almost four hours to get to the nearest public transportation services that will carry them to Donggongon town in Penampang.And it is only the determination by the villagers together with several notable NGOs in Penampang that the 'jalan kayu balak' leading to the villages concerned was repaired. To this, he said that there is no difference between Kg Niatang in Pitas and Kg Terian/Buayan in Penampang since both settlements desperately need proper road access.He said there are also other roads in the interior of Sabah that are populated by the Rungus, Kedayan and Lundayeh communities that are in similar conditions but not known to outsiders or highlighted in the social media."Perhaps, in the future, we might see another picture of villagers in the interior drinking muddy water because the Government delayed the installation or replacement of worn-out pipes connecting the gravity water sources to the villagers' houses," he said. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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