Approximately 150 residents of Taman Balok Baru, Kuantan held a peaceful demonstration to protest against bauxite-laden lorries entering and using the roads in their residential area.

Their spokesperson, Che Alif Ismail, said the residents were worried that the presence of the heavy vehicles in the small residential roads would cause accidents and damage to public facilities.

"These big lorries, especially those transporting bauxite, have been entering and using the small residential roads in our area regardless of the time and it becomes rampant after the authority started to hold roadblocks at the main road.

"As residents, we feel stressed about the situation because it also caused noise pollution, dust and damage to the road surface, drains and water pipes.

"What's more worrying is the safety of our children as the lorries were usually moving at high speed," he told reporters in Kuantan today.

As such, Che Alif said the residents called on the state government to provide a proper routes for the bauxite lorries so that it would not be such a disturbance to the residents.

"If the problem is left unaddressed, we fear that the residents would resort to taking the matter into their own hands which would lead to a much bigger problem," he added.

- Bernama