KUCHING: The much-needed road connecting Belaga and Nanga Merit, a distance of about 150km, will soon become a reality under the army’s Jiwa Murni programme, says Belaga assemblyman Liwan Lagang.
He said he had forwarded a letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who had agreed in principle with the implementation of the road project.
“I am confident that the prime minister will approve the project as we have highlighted the issue of lack of road network in Belaga District and he was receptive to the idea.
“Under the Jiwa Murni programme, the army will lead in the construction of the road, similar to the Belaga Road, which was constructed under the same concept,” Liwan told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He said that currently there was already a logging road connecting the two areas, except that it needed to be upgraded and in some instances, the need to build connecting stretches, including the building of bridges.
“We need the road as Belaga is one of the most inaccessible areas in the whole of Sarawak except by river transportation. If there is a road, we can prevent tragedies from happening similar to the one that happened in 2013 when an express boat sank at Giam Bungan, downstream of Belaga, and claimed three lives,” Liwan said.
Liwan, who is also Assistant Minister of Culture and Heritage, said he had also briefed the State Cabinet on the matter.
On another issue, Liwan said Pemanca Tony Kulleh had been tasked to scout for suitable land near Sg Asap to increase the land lots of the re-settlers who were given only one hectare per family when they moved there in 1998.
He said the prime minister had agreed for the re-settlers to be given an additional hectare per family for farming and housing purposes.
“Besides that we need better facilities such as electricity and treated water supplies for the people. We have also requested that villages below the Bakun HEP Dam be connected to the grid.”
Liwan said if these issues were addressed, there would be no more issue to be raised by the opposition, especially the DAP, which had set up a branch in Sg Asap recently.
“I welcome any political parties to set up service centre in Belaga as we are living in a democratic country. The people will have more choices. They can make their own choice. Maybe it is too arrogant for me if I say that it (DAP) is not posing a threat to the BN but we are not taking them lightly,” he said.
DAP Sg Asap is led by Liwan’s opponent in the last state election, Kenneth Adan Silek.
Meanwhile, Liwan said the people still needed the government’s help to further develop Belaga District which is a big as Pahang.
“We are very fortunate to have a very caring chief minister in the person of Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem. There are many things that I have brought up to him and I have received very good response from him such as the toll bridge in Murum and roads for the resettlement areas in Murum, which will be implemented under Jiwa Murni programme,” he said.
He described Adenan as a person who is very sincere and honest.
“If his answer is yes, he will do it but if it’s impossible to do, he will say no. I like that. He is the one who really leads and grooms us. He even called me a few times early in the morning and told me, what I could do and what not to do. As a ‘young’ politician, even though I am already old, I really appreciate it. I learn a lot from him,” he added.