IPOH: A broken culvert has led to the Sg Liat bridge in Sungkai collapsing on Saturday night (April 19), says Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

The Perak infrastructure, energy, water and public transport committee chairman said the culvert was struck by waste materials, logs and other debris.

“We got clarification that the bridge and the main access road were originally constructed by Felda some 20 years ago.

“That means the agencies under my jurisdiction had no involvement with the small road leading to Kg Tisong or the bridge.

“We will officially register it under the Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris), so that the Public Works Department can carry out maintenance and repairs, including on the bridge,” he told a press conference on the sidelines of the Perak state assembly sitting on Monday.

The incident stranded some 200 people, including 85 students from a polytechnic, as the bridge connected the Felda Residence Hot Springs, Buyong Mas Sanctuary campsite, Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Tisong, and several smaller campsites.

Mohamad Nizar said the long-term plan was to rebuild the collapsed bridge. He said a temporary single-lane Bailey bridge would be put up by April 29.

“The department will work around the clock, rain or shine, because our target is for the bridge to be safely passable by the stipulated timeframe,” he said.

Mohammad Nizar added that at the Buyong Mas Sanctuary campsite, approximately 85 students and staff from Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah, Behrang, were rescued by the Fire and Rescue Department, while at the Felda Residence Hot Springs, some 95 visitors remained there due to a lack of suitable vehicles to bring them out.

Meanwhile, he said that at the Kg Sungai Tisong Orang Asli settlement, there are 536 residents, with five pregnant women safely evacuated and relocated to the Orang Asli Transit Centre in Sungkai.

“There are also 81 children from the Orang Asli village who attend schools at both SMK Sungkai and SK FELDA Sungkai.

“The state Education Department and the Batang Padang district education office are taking steps to ensure their learning is not disrupted despite the road access issue,” he added.

KOTA BHARU - Sultan Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V bertitah supaya pembinaan Empangan Lebir dipercepatkan kerana ia menjadi keperluan mendesak dalam mengatasi isu banjir di negeri ini.

"Sebagaimana yang Beta zahirkan sebelum ini. Beta menekankan kepentingan penyelesaian segera terhadap isu banjir tahunan di Kelantan.

"Beta menggesa projek Lembangan Sungai Bersepadu Sungai Kelantan dan Sungai Golok dapat disegerakan bagi semua fasa," Baginda bertitah semasa menyempurnakan Istiadat Pembukaan Penggal Ketiga Sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kelantan ke-15 di Kompleks Kota Darulnaim di sini pada Isnin.

Turut mencemar duli, Sultanah Kelantan, Sultanah Nur Diana Petra Abdullah.

BYRNIHAT, India (Reuters) - Two-year-old Sumaiya Ansari, a resident of India's Byrnihat town which is ranked the world's most polluted metropolitan area by Swiss Group IQAir, was battling breathing problems for several days before she was hospitalised in March and given oxygen support.

She is among many residents of the industrial town on the border of the northeastern Assam and Meghalaya states - otherwise known for their lush, natural beauty - inflicted by illnesses that doctors say are likely linked to high exposure to pollution.

PM2.5 refers to particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or less in diameter that can be carried into the lungs, causing deadly diseases and cardiac problems.

"It was very scary, she was breathing like a fish," said Abdul Halim, Ansari's father, who brought her home from hospital after two days.

According to government data, the number of respiratory infection cases in the region rose to 3,681 in 2024 from 2,082 in 2022.

"Ninety percent of the patients we see daily come either with a cough or other respiratory issues," said Dr. J Marak of Byrnihat Primary Healthcare Centre.

Residents say the toxic air also causes skin rashes and eye irritation, damages crops, and restricts routine tasks like drying laundry outdoors.

"Everything is covered with dust or soot," said farmer Dildar Hussain.

Critics say Byrnihat's situation reflects a broader trend of pollution plaguing not just India's cities, including the capital Delhi, but also its smaller towns as breakneck industrialisation erodes environmental safeguards.

Unlike other parts of the country that face pollution every winter, however, Byrnihat's air quality remains poor through the year, government data indicates.

KOTA BHARU - Sultan Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V bertitah supaya cadangan untuk membina tembok dan zon penampan di kawasan Sungai Golok perlu dimuktamadkan segera.

"Beta memandang serius isu keselamatan di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand. Maka cadangan itu perlu dimuktamadkan segera," baginda bertitah semasa menyempurnakan Istiadat Pembukaan Penggal Ketiga DUN Kelantan ke-15 di Kompleks Kota Darulnaim di sini pada Isnin.

Sinar Harian sebelum ini melaporkan Kerajaan Kelantan memerlukan RM445.748 juta untuk kos pengambilan balik tanah penduduk di kawasan sempadan Sungai Golok bagi pembinaan tembok dan zon penampan.

Menteri Besar Kelantan, Datuk Mohd Nasuruddin Mohd Daud berkata, cadangan pembinaan tembok dan zon penampan adalah amat relevan bagi tujuan keselamatan sempadan negara.

Beliau berkata, Kelantan serius untuk membanteras jenayah penyeludupan dan mengatasi masalah banjir di kawasan Sungai Golok iaitu sepanjang 99 kilometer di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand.