Locals Hope Temporary Bridge Will Be Set Up Quickly After Slim Village Bridge Collapse

TANJUNG MALIM, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The old Slim Village Bridge, which collapsed after it was hit by a water surge yesterday evening, served a very important role in connecting Slim Village locals with Slim River and Behrang towns.

The bridge was also of historical note, having been the site of a World War II battle between the British and Japanese known as the Battle Of Slim, something many locals recounted with pride when met by Bernama today.

But most importantly, locals expressed their hope that a temporary bridge would be installed as soon as possible as the bridge served as a vital connection for their daily routines.

bootstrap slideshow

Fishmonger Ali Abd Hamid, 40, shared that he made use of the bridge to get from his home in Kampung Rasau to Slim Village town to sell his catch daily, as well as to go to shops, the clinic, the mosque and to take his children to school.

"The bridge has been there since I was born, it’s never collapsed and served admirably, so hopefully a temporary bridge will be built soon otherwise we need to use an alternative route that’s around 50 kilometres to get to Slim Village town,” he said when met here today.

His wife Faizah Che Omar, 50, said that the bridge connected Slim Village town with several villages, including Kg Sawa, Kg Rasau, Kg Tambak, Kg Penderas, Kg Sungai Gesa, Kg Piong and Kg Sg Dara. 

"People in Slim Village town would come over this side to send their children to Sekolah Kebangsaan Slim Village, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Slim and SMK Dato' Zulkifli Muhammad," she said.

Meanwhile, plantation foreman M Kumar, 48, who lives in Kampung Rasau a frequent user of the bridge, using it to get to Slim Village to obtain necessities in the market.

"The bridge also connects those who work in Proton City and is a shortcut during festive seasons,” he added.

The concrete Slim Village bridge collapsed at around 7 pm yesterday after it was hit by a water surge.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said during an inspection that a bailey bridge will be built as a temporary measure and will be completed in five days.

-- BERNAMA