Cameron Highlands’ Crucial Route Remains Closed Despite Social Media Claims
Farmers face severe losses as fresh produce rots due to extended delivery times, while JKR’s RM10 million repair cost announcement draws criticism from local stakeholders.
In what seems like an endless saga of confusion and frustration, the Simpang Pulai-Blue Valley FT185 route to Cameron Highlands remains firmly closed despite viral social media posts claiming a partial reopening.
JKR Perak issued a stern notice today, squashing rumours of a single-lane reopening circulating on social media.
The road, vital for connecting the highlands to the rest of Peninsula Malaysia, has been closed due to ongoing landslide cleanup operations.
“No official statement has been issued by JKR Perak or JKR Daerah Kinta about any reopening,” the notice emphasized, adding a disclaimer about their non-liability for any incidents occurring if motorists attempt to use the closed route.
Harvest in Peril
For Cameron Highlands’ farming community, this continued closure is more than just an inconvenience – it’s a financial nightmare.
MCA Cameron Highlands leader Wong Yap Wah, speaking to TRP, paints a grim picture of vegetables rotting in trucks and deliveries missing crucial wholesale market timings.
“Farmers are watching their hard work go to waste,” says Wong, a strawberry farmer based in Tringkap.
The alternative routes add hours to our journey, and for fresh produce, every hour counts.
Plump, ripe grapes hang heavily from trellised vines at a farm in Bertam Valley, Cameron Highlands. Agricultural harvest, normally a cause for celebration, now presents a logistical challenge for farmers grappling with limited access routes following the Simpang Pulai road closure. (Pix: Fernando Fong)
Solutions, Not Sums
Critics have also slammed JKR’s recent focus on repair costs, arguing that discussing budget figures during an emergency affecting thousands of livelihoods is tone-deaf.
The controversy erupted after JKR announced that RM10 million would be needed for the repair works, prompting immediate backlash from local stakeholders.
“This is not the time to talk about how many millions are needed,” says Cheng Nam Hong, who heads the Cameron Highlands Chinese Farmers Association.
This is an emergency affecting an entire district’s economy. The priority should be immediate solutions, not cost calculations.
Adding to the crisis, the Tapah alternative route has proven problematic, with its narrow, winding roads ill-suited for heavy vehicles.
Since the closure forced traffic onto this challenging stretch, there has been an alarming increase in accidents, raising fresh concerns about public safety.
#KECEMASAN 03 NOVEMBER 2024 – Anggota APM Batang Padang telah menerima panggilan kecemasan dari OA (Orang Awam), Kes Kemalangan Jalan Raya di lokasi Jalan Tapah – Cameron Highlands. pic.twitter.com/VKWip8AoBU
In hushed tones, some locals tell TRP about a more controversial development – alleged late-night passages through the closed route, supposedly facilitated by workers on-site for a “fee.”
These claims, while unverified, highlight the desperate measures some might be considering.
For now, the public must rely on three alternative routes:
Tapah route (serving north and south peninsula traffic)
The Lojing route (for those from Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang)
Sungai Koyan route (accessible from east coast states and central region)
Aerial view of the Ringlet to Tanah Rata road in the Cameron Highlands. The road in Cameron Highlands is mainly winding and narrow, with single-carriageways that make it difficult to overtake. (Pix: Fernando Fong)
This closure strains the local economy and the public’s patience as the holiday season approaches.
While safety remains paramount, the extended closure without a clear timeline for reopening leaves Cameron Highlands’ community in an increasingly precarious position.
