Sarawak authorities justify RM50,000 wooden jetty partly due to crocodile infestation

The public works authorities in Sarawak have defended their decision to build a RM50,000 (S$16,110) wooden jetty at a village, saying that the location is infested with crocodiles.

Pictures of the jetty made of belian timber at Kampung Mutap in Bekenu, Sarawak, have been circulating online since last Friday, when the authorities JKR Sarawak posted photos of the 1m wide by 15m long jetty on their Facebook page to mark its building completion.

JKR said then that the jetty will make it easier for residents to carry out daily activities, especially during floods and heavy tides, as they can use the river path to go to a market.

The builder of the jetty, Bukit Balat Company, is listed as a state government contractor, according to local media reports.

Netizens have criticised the authorities, saying that the jetty could have been built at a fraction of the cost, and that stronger materials like concrete should have been used.

In response to the criticisms, the authorities issued a statement on Sunday to say that the jetty’s construction took into account several concerns.

The contractor has to “take necessary precautions when executing works” after it was informed that the river is infested with crocodiles, and the road access to the village is also “onerous”, according to the authorities.

While a more robust steel jetty was considered, the idea was set aside as it was more expensive and would be smaller in area compared with a jetty made of belian timber, the authorities said.

The proposal of a 30m long jetty with a timber shed was also not considered due to the “limited budget” of RM50,000.

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