Friday the 13th proves unlucky for Ranau Highway users

It was not just unlucky for the two drivers of the trailer and the goods container who were hurt but also for the hundreds of vehicles and travellers who were struck in a long traffic jam stretching for kilometers both ways of the dual carriage lane starting from 2pm onwards.

There were no other casualties but tempers flared between tour guides and tourists heading to and fro the Kota Kinabalu International Airport and Sabah Parks.

Some proceeded to travel by foot to get to the other side of the accident scene to catch alternative conveyance to reach their destination.

Vehicles then tried to force their way between the two lorries by the shoulder of the road beside steep hills as the other side of the road was a steep drop-off slope.

It was time consuming as only a single vehicle could navigate the narrow opening at time.

The Ranau Highway, completed in 1983 urgently needs resurfacing as it is an accident prone route and susceptible to landslides.

There is an urgency to improve the safety along the only major East-West route across Sabah’s Crocker Range pending the official completion of the Tawau-Keningau route.

There is an urgent need to upgrade the Ranau-Tambunan Road as an alternative route for travellers while waiting for the official opening of the Ranau-Kota Marudu route.

The affected public called for rapid response from emergency team for heavy traffic accident tasked for the Ranau Highway.

Some were impatient and wanted a bulldozers to push the struck lorries off the hill slope to save time and reduce the inconvenience for travellers.

The last major accident with fatalities was a tour bus from Brunei which lost control.

It is imperative that the minister in charge of the the Public Works Department takes immediate action regarding the maintenance of the Ranau Highway.