Balik kampung exodus: Bumper-to-bumper crawl greets Sabahans on Tamparuli-Ranau route

Balik kampung exodus: Bumper-to-bumper crawl greets Sabahans on Tamparuli-Ranau route

KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans travelling along the Tamparuli-Ranau stretch for the Raya holiday rush found themselves trapped in traffic jams, with some spending half a day on the road.

Facebook user May Batrisyha May shared a video showing bumper-to-bumper traffic near the National Park, where a journey that usually takes just 30 minutes to Ranau town stretched into hours.

“This is unbelievable, from town all the way to the National Park and still in a jam, crazy… the cars are not moving,” she said.

Many other road users also reported the jam extending far beyond the National Park, reaching as far as Tamparuli – a 72km stretch between Ranau and Tamparuli.

Facebook user Dason Yalif shared “My friend left KK at 8am but by 1.30pm, he still hasn’t reached Ranau town”.

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Another user, Adams Axls, echoed the frustration, saying: “I was caught in it yesterday … super stressful … took four hours from Kundasang to Ranau!”

Meanwhile, Mariana Manan recounted her experience, saying she left Kundasang at noon and only arrived in Ranau at 6pm.

“I used to just hear about it, but yesterday I experienced it myself. Bus passengers even got off because they couldn’t hold it in any longer… some people even got out to buy food to break their fast, and we still had not moved. Imagine, left Penampang at 10.30am and only reached Sandakan at 12.30am,” she commented.

Some also suggested alternative routes, such as the Kota Kinabalu-Tambunan-Ranau road, which reportedly had lighter traffic.

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Facebook user Tomborio Headhunter shared his strategy: “That is why during the Raya season, if I want to head back, I travel at night … less traffic”.

Maik Mangatap said “This is normal, Sabah is getting wealthier, each family has four to six cars … plus, more kids are going back for Raya… this happens all over Sabah and even in Peninsular Malaysia”.

The Tamparuli-Ranau stretch is a key route leading to Sabah’s east coast, connecting major districts such as Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Tawau, Semporna, Beluran and Kunak.

It remains the most direct and preferred choice for most travellers heading to the east coast.

While an alternative route exists via the Kota Kinabalu-Keningau-Kalabakan road, it is significantly longer and mainly used by those travelling directly to Tawau, Lahad Datu, or Semporna.

With traffic congestion now an annual occurrence during festive seasons, many are urging authorities to implement better road management strategies to ease the burden on travellers.