Nanta (right) inspects Jalan Rumah Rantai, Tepus/Balingian project.
SIBU: Remedial actions are being taken to put the few ‘sick’ and delayed rural water supply and rural road projects in Sarawak back on track.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi gave this assurance at a press conference here yesterday.
“There are only few projects considered as ‘sick’ or behind schedule in the state. And over the last two days here, we have met and held special meeting with Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR), contractors, consultants, Sarawak branch office of Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKLW) and relevant government departments and agencies.
“This has been the focus of our discussion and we have impressed on the contractors and recommended to consultants for measures to ensure these projects are completed in early 2015,” the Kapit MP revealed.
He also said the water supply project for Pulau Bruit and Tekanjong in Mukah Division, costing about RM54 million, was behind schedule.
However, he was glad to note that during the meeting with contractors and consultants, it would be completed very soon.
Adding on, Nanta said KKLW was now positively responding to the call by Chief Minister
Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to emphasise on rural development.
“KKLW under the leadership of Datuk Sri Shafie Apdal is taking heed of the call of the chief minister to put more effort on infrastructural development for rural areas in Sarawak,” he stressed.
To a question, he explained that if a project was delayed by two months and works were behind by 20 per cent it would be considered as ‘sick’, for which three contractors had been terminated.
On the primary causes for the delay, he said contractors were sometimes not well prepared for the various challenges of the projects like bad weather and geographical conditions.
“There should not be any reasons like that. They should have gone themselves to the area, where the project is sited and assess the situation.”
He pointed out that KKLW deputy secretary-general Datuk Rahim Abu Bakar had mentioned to contractors on the need to be more professional and improve their work ethics.
Nanta also said the delays could be due to land matters such as when landowners did not agree to the compensation offered.
Earlier, he said the key objective of the two-day meeting on KKLW projects, especially rural water supply and rural roads, were to enhance their delivery and implementation.
He lamented that some contractors failed to show up.
“It is very disappointing as it seems that they don’t look at what we are doing seriously.
“We are very serious about this; we want all the stakeholders to be equally serious with us.
“We are serious because it is the needs of the people that we are focusing on,” Nanta stressed.
He revealed that they planned to hold more of such meetings, hinting that they would have another one in Kuching end of January next year.
He said they were also gathering information and proposals from relevant agencies “especially pertaining to what we do, that is providing for rural infrastructure under the 11th Malaysia Plan, which will begin in 2016”.
Later, accompanied by Rahim and KKLW infrastructure division secretary Ahmad Zahidi Awang, Nanta inspected the Jalan Rumah Rantai, Tepus/Balingian.