The 500 residents of Kampung Pangi have been finding it difficult to go out to buy necessities or deliver crops because the village is not connected by road. This lack of access also affects three other villages nearby.
The home-made trolley that moves along a railway track was created some time ago and has been of help to residents of Kampung Pangi and Kampung Rayoh nearby.
In the past, the trolley was used by pushing it on the railway tracks but it has been upgraded and now uses a motorcycle as the driving force.
More interestingly, the motorcycle trolley was created by a group of village youths who learnt how to make it through YouTube.
Former Kampung Pangi chief Udin Bakiwoh, 55, said these trolleys were used when trains to Tenom stopped operating following the movement control order (MCO).
Previously, the trolleys were used in urgent situations whenever the trains did not run and if the villagers knew the timetable to and from the station in their village or Tenom.
“We know this (motorcycle trolley) isn’t allowed, but what else should we do if there are no roads to our village?
“Thankfully, we have this motorcycle trolley; at least we have a vehicle that helps us travel to Tenom to buy necessities and deliver crops, like bananas and rubber,” he told FMT.
Udin said the travel time from Kampung Pangi to Tenom is about an hour, depending on the operator of the motorcycle trolley.
“If the person is young, sometimes it takes less than an hour to reach Tenom, but like us who are old, we don’t dare to ride so fast,” he said.
He said several ministers from the previous government had promised to build an access road for vehicles from the town of Tenom to their village, but until now nothing had been done.
“Once, an elected representative told me that building a road wasn’t suitable because it would have a bad effect on the popular tourism products in Kampung Pangi.
“The only tourism product here is rafting activities. Tourists take the train to come here and raft on the Padas River.
“But which is more important, tourists or the residents of this state? If we have a road, won’t it improve our tourism opportunities even further?” he asked.
Udin hoped that the government will take this problem seriously as the village had other facilities now such as electricity supply and telecommunication lines.
“All we ask is for a road to Tenom. This village has many successful young people – we have lecturers, police inspectors, but we are still stuck without a road suitable for vehicles.
“Trains are our only other option for getting around, but its operation is limited and the situation is worse now because the train doesn’t run during the MCO.”