THAT’S THE ONE: Abang Johari briefing Salahuddin on the overall picture of Sibu Jaya township.
SIBU: The Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Muhammad Salahuddin and his wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Norkiah paid a special visit to Sibu Jaya township on Saturday evening.
The visit was to have a first-hand view of the development that has transformed this township into a significant landmark.
To commemorate this visit, Salahuddin opened the main boulevard that linked the existing development and commercial hub of Sibu Jaya right to a section of the newly-upgraded Pan-Borneo Highway.
On hand to welcome them were Minister of Housing Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Temenggong Vincent Lau, Lanang MP Datuk Tiong Thai King, Sarawak Housing Development Corporation (HDC) chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Rauf, and Ministry of Housing Permanent Secretary Wan Liz Ozman.
A 15-minute fireworks display lit up the night as soon as Salahuddin officially declared opened the main boulevard.
HDC said in a statement that Sibu Jaya township, which spanned a gross area of 1,400 acres, was built based on the concept of a self-contained township.
SPLENDID: Salahuddin presses a button to declare open the main boulevard in Sibu Jaya.
It boasts a mixed array of affordable to high-end residential homes, shop houses, commercial centre, industrial lots, schools, community facilities and public amenities.
Sibu Jaya is well-positioned along the Pan-Borneo Highway, is only 1 km away from Sibu Airport and 23km from Sibu town.
With the completion of Durin bridge, Sibu Jaya has become a transit point for long distance travellers.
Idea for the township was initiated in 1995, and in 2005 its master plan was reviewed and new measures thrown in to transform the area into a new township having good socio-economic balance. HDC and Amcorp Group then formed HDCam Sdn Bhd to materialise Sibu Jaya’s transformation.
In 2008, the proposed re-planning development master plan towards a more community-based new Sibu Jaya township won the prestigious Judges’ Merit in Planning Excellence Award (under Community Development – Planning Achievement category) at a national-level competition organised by Malaysian Institute of Planners. Construction of the main boulevard last year marked the first package to be implemented under the re-planning of Sibu Jaya master plan.
SPARKLING NIGHT: Fireworks light up the night as the main boulevard was officially declared opened.
It would not only give a whole new buzz to the existing growing population, but would also ease traffic congestion, especially during school pick-up hours.
With the completion of the Durin bridge and upgrading of the Pan-Borneo Highway, Sibu Jaya has became more accessible to surrounding towns such as Kapit, Kanowit, Song, Julau, Ngemah, Bintangor and Sarikei.
The new Sibu Jaya township has the advantage of being an integrated township whereby public amenities and facilities such as police station, bank, post office, public library, four kindergartens, two primary schools, secondary school, off campus university centre, National Service Camp (Camp Bumimas), mosque, church, playground, multipurpose hall, market and clinic are all in one place.
Other developments which are expected to start within the next five years include a new mosque, new Sibu Rural District Council office, an integrated sports complex and public library.
Tender for a health clinic (under the Public Works Department) has been called and works are expected to start soon.
The planning for the Green Belt area, which includes the central Green Lung, is now in its final stage of design. The Green Belt would be implemented in stages and in tandem with the development sequence.
Sibu Jaya may soon be turned into the first smart township in the state with WiFi facility with the assistance of Mimos Berhad.
The township spans 1,400 acres, and thus far about 460 acres had been completed with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM470 million. The development comprised 5,452 residential units, 174 commercial units and 92 industrial units that served a population of about 25,000.
Based on the revised master plan, the township is expected to be completed by 2023 with a total population of 60,000.
It will see an additional 5,407 medium to high-end residential units, 476 commercial units and four parcels identified for commercial buildings with a total GDV of more than RM1 billion.