State government to take over logging roads that are connected to longhouses and villages

MARUDI. Nov 15 2025: Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg has said that all logging roads which are connected to longhouses and villages will be taken over by the state government.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg: We cannot wait for others. We will do it ourselves, using our own funds. I will look for the funds. 

“Therefore, we have made a decision that all logging roads which are connected to longhouses and villages, will be excised to become public roads without any compensation to be paid.” he said at the launch of Miri-Marudi-Mulu-Long Panai-Long Lama (MMMLL) road project today.

He said these roads will be rehabilitated and upgraded into public roads, adding that they will be implemented by the state government.

“A task force under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development has already been formed for us to upgrade the logging roads,” he said.

He said the state government will use its own funds to rehabilitate and upgrade the logging roads.

“We cannot wait for others. We will do it ourselves, using our own funds. I will look for the funds.

“This is something that we will not take lightly. I dare say because I have found  ways to look for the money,” he said.

Abang Johari said he understands the difficulties in using the logging roads.

“Sometimes, we cannot use logging roads, not only the roads are in bad conditions, but also we need to ask permission from the logging companies,” he added, referring to the logging roads in the deep interior of Baram.

According to Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil earlier, his Marudi state constituency covers an area from Kuala Baram to Long Tisam.

He said with an area 3,538 km2, 44,000 inhabitants, the Marudi  constituency covers the areas of Bandar Marudi, Bakong and Tinjar and is very far behind in terms of infrastructure development and social structure.

“It took me almost two years just to visit all the villages/longhouses to collect data and then prepare a development masterplan for this area, covering several series of project proposals that I had submitted to the premier and deputy premier.

“I still remember at one point, the journey from Miri to Marudi at that time took at least three hours and the road conditions at that time were very bad,” Penguang said.