Bario-Ba’ Kelalan road project to complete by next year

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‘LET THE FEST BEGIN’: Idris Jala hits the ‘tubung’ – a traditional wooden instrument – to mark the launch of the annual Nukenen Food and Cultural Festival in Bario. Seen in the background (right) is Assistant Minister of Tourism, Datuk Talib Zulpilip.

BARIO: The construction of road connectivity between Bario and Ba’ Kelalan will run aggressively towards completion by the middle of next year, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Idris Jala.

He added that many key projects to facilitate the rural development of Bario and Ba’ Kelalan had already been approved by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“Currently, the road from Ba’ Kelalan to Lawas is being built by our soldiers (Royal Malaysian Army) under the programme ‘Jiwa Murni’. Hopefully, it should be ready by the middle of next year, with the road construction from Bario to Ba’ Kelalan will go on from there,” he told reporters during the ‘Nukenen Food and Cultural Festival’ here, which ended last Saturday.

The annual four-day fair was launched by Idris Jala, with Assistant Minister of Tourism, Datuk Talib Zulpilip and MASwings Sdn Bhd’s (MASwings) managing director Datuk Captain Mohd Nawawi Awang were also present as guests of honour.

On investments for the road project, Idris Jala stated that the approved Bario-Ba’ Kelalan road project was valued at a total of RM40 million.

“Apart from the road, we have also received approval for the 24-hour electricity project for all of Bario. While I cannot state any offhand figures on the project value, I believe that the costs will be determined by the mode; either by solar or hydropower generation.

“What I can say is that some of it (project works) have begun this year, while most of it will go into full swing next year.”

Meanwhile, Idris Jala – also the chief of the goverment tranformation programme’s working vehicle, the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) – expressed his pleasure to see that the annual Nukenen Food and Cultural Festival had already garnered substantial interests amongst governmental agencies, foreign associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as tourists since its inception six years ago.

“I’m a Bario native. To see this festival being held independently by its own people really makes me proud. I understand that it had also generated interest amongst government bodies such as the Tourism Ministry as well as Fama (Federal Agriculture and Marketing Authority), especially on local produce such as the famous Bario rice and highland spring salt,” he enthused, adding that approved allocation for the Bario rice project had amounted to RM27 million.

Idris Jala was optimistic that with much basic infrastructure being implemented to date, Bario would emerge as a promising destination for many industries, amongst which would prominently include agriculture and eco-tourism.

“For instance, this food festival here – done by the community for the community – is one of many initiatives to fully commercialise the native products of Bario.

“Now with the air linkage provided by MASwings, which I regard as the ‘lifeline’ of Bario as well as the ICT infrastructure provided by Maxis Bhd, Bario can be linked to the world.

“Adding this to more infrastructure projects under the Government Transformation Plan (GTP) over the next few years, a lot more villages here will get good clean water supply as well as good accessibility by way of new roads,” he added.

Under GTP, allocation towards providing for the rural basic infrastructure programme throughout the country, including Sarawak, had been so far valued at about RM3 billion.