GERIK 25 Dis. - Lebuh Raya Timur-Barat dari Gerik di sini ke Tanah Merah, Kelantan yang mendapat jolokan 'laluan maut' sememangnya berbahaya kerana terdapat banyak lubang di laluan itu sehingga menjejaskan pemanduan dan mengakibatkan tayar pancit.

Fenomena itu dikatakan turut menyumbang atau dikaitkan dengan kemalangan maut kerap berlaku di laluan tersebut yang terbaru mengorbankan enam sekeluarga maut kelmarin.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry has been urged to have an exchange programme with developed countries so that it could increase the quality of its vocational programme. 

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak said last night that the ministry must be practical as ?either it works or it doesn't?. 

"And if it doesn't work, then you will find out why and then set about making sure it does work". 

KOTA BHARU 23 Dis. - Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) Kelantan sedang bertungkus lumus 24 jam menyiapkan laluan baru di Kilometer 55 dan 65 Jalan Kuala Krai-Gua Musang yang terputus akibat mendapan tanah 16 Disember lalu bagi membolehkan ia buka selewat-lewatnya Selasa ini.

Ia perlu disegerakan berikutan laluan Meranto-Jeli melalui Dabong yang dijadikan alternatif turut mengalami kejadian tanah runtuh semalam dan terpaksa ditutup kepada semua kenderaan.

KUALA LUMPUR 23 Dis. - Plaza Tol Ipoh Utara yang akan menggantikan Plaza Tol Jelapang sudah 60 peratus siap, kata Pengurus Besar, Komunikasi Korporat, PLUS Expresway Berhad (PLUS), Khalilah Mohd. Talha.

Menurut beliau, pihaknya berasa lega kerana projek pemindahan itu akhirnya hampir selesai selepas banyak kemalangan maut berlaku di plaza tol berkenaan.

Katanya, proses pembinaan plaza tol baru itu dimulakan sejak tiga tahun lalu, namun, pihaknya terpaksa berhadapan dengan pelbagai masalah termasuk kesukaran mengambil tanah individu dan merancang pelan pembinaannya.

KUALA LUMPUR: Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) peringkat negeri diarah bertindak secara bersepadu dalam menangani masalah kerosakan infrastruktur, terutama jalan raya akibat hujan lebat dan banjir sejak kebelakangan ini. 

Menteri Kerja Raya, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu, berkata arahan terbaru itu dibuat bagi memastikan tugas untuk memperbaiki kerosakan yang dialami tidak hanya menjadi tanggungjawab pegawai negeri terbabit saja. 

MENTERI Kerja Raya, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu mengarahkan Lembaga Lebuh raya Malaysia (LLM) dan Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd (PBSB) menyediakan helikopter bagi mengangkat kenderaan yang terlibat dalam kemalangan di atas Jambatan Pulau Pinang bagi mengelak kesesakan lalu lintas.

Beliau berkata, perkhidmatan helikopter perlu bagi mempercepatkan penyuraian lalu lintas yang terkandas berikutan kemalangan.

JELI: Thai Prime Minister Sura-yud Chulanont said the new bridge across Sungai Golok linking Ban Buketa in Narathiwat and Bukit Bunga here symbolises 50 years of friendship between Thailand and Malaysia. 

"We can aptly call it a 'Friendship Bridge' in conjunction with our 50th year of friendship. 

"I believe the bridge will further strengthen our friendship and enhance co-operation.

KUALA LUMPUR: A second bridge linking Kelantan and Narathiwat province in Thailand will be officially opened on Friday. 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Thai counterpart General Surayud Chulanont will open the RM9.2mil bridge which will link Bukit Bunga in Jeli district and Ban Buke Ta in Waeng district in Narathiwat. 

The only other bridge across Sungai Golok between Kelantan and Narathiwat is between Rantau Panjang and Sungai Golok.  

JELI: The relationship between Malaysia and Thailand received a major boost yesterday when the second bridge linking both countries was officially opened. 

The RM9.2mil bridge, spanning 120m across Sungai Golok, took 11 months to complete. 

Both countries split the cost equally, with the project given to a Malaysian contractor. 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who opened the bridge with his Thai counterpart Surayud Chulanont, said he was confident the new link would contribute to the relationship between both countries. 

KUCHING: Sarawak had its first exposure to floods yesterday when 225 residents in Ulu Mapai, Kanowit, were cut off from the town centre when water in their area rose to one metre. 

Kanowit Police Chief Assistant Superintendant Bujang Zainuddin said two longhouses were affected.

"We had to relocate 150 residents of Rumah Selungang and 98 more from Rumah Awing longhouse when the waters began rising at 8am," he said. 

All were later relocated to SK Balingiau, but by noon they returned home when the floodwaters receded.