Pusa is known for ikan terubok and gula apong.
PUSA, situated 46km from Saratok, is famous for ikan terubok and gula apong (palm sugar).
Newly upgraded to a district, Pusa has seen steady growth over the years driven by the Rural Growth Centre (RGC) in Beladin.
“Pusa’s population, with a majority of them Malay, has increased to about 27,000 from 20,480 in year 2010,” said Pusa District Officer Bujang Budin.
“The Barisan Nasional (BN) government has brought both small and major changes to Pusa. Thus water demand has risen in view of the expanding population as well as socioeconomic growth.”
Bujang said a new water source has been identified and the project has been placed under the Betong divisional plan to provide better water supply to the community.
“We do hope to be able to enjoy better water supply soon,” he said.
Bujang said new road networks would improve accessibility and connectivity to surrounding towns, which would in turn open up and widen socioeconomic opportunities.
Among the major infrastructure development projects is the Sungai Rimbas bridge, involving the construction of a 330-metre reinforced concrete (RC) bridge to link the old Pusa town to the new town, which is expected to be completed by October.
“The proposed bridges at Batang Lupar and Batang Sadong, once connected, would cut the journey to Kuching by at least one hour,” he said.
Bujang shows where Pusa is located on the map.
Bujang said 90 per cent of the villages in Pusa already have road links except for Kampung Batang Maro, which is still only reachable by boat.
On youth development, Bujang said they make up 35 per cent of the population but the majority of them are working in Johor and Singapore.
“We know there are better opportunities there but we hope some day they can come back with the knowledge and skills they have gained and contribute to building the community here and the town,” he said.
He pointed out that rural development takes time and patience, but once everything has come together Pusa would no longer be a sleepy town as economic activities begin to pick up, particularly with nearby towns such as Sibu and Sarikei.
For Kampung Tengah village chief Kamar Sei said the town has seen far better development in the last two years.
“Water supply is an issue possibly because the main tank is too old, storage capacity inadequate and damage on the tank will also affect the pressure of water,” he said.
“And the unstable electricity supply, which Sarawak Energy is well aware of. But these are common problems in most rural areas that need to be addressed.”
Idris and Norshila hope better road networks will improve the economy in Pusa.
Eatery owner Idris Ahmad and his wife Norshila Zulkifli agree that water supply remains the main problem for the area.
“This small town was poor back in the 1980s, but now basically everything is available, especially basic amenities and road connectivity,” Idris said. The couple, who live in Kampung Pusa – a five-minute boat ride across Sungai Rimbas from the town centre – seek more development projects in their village.
“The population here has increased, more so with Indonesian workers being employed to work on the agricultural land. So the present rate of water supply cannot meet the demand of the people any more.
“We also need a community hall in the kampung for the convenience of carrying out community-related activities,” he added.
Single mother Siti Mariam Lan, 42, who lives in Kampung Serabang, located a 30-minute boat ride from the town, said villagers there have yet to enjoy piped water supply.
“We use rainwater collected in tanks. We hope more development will come when the bridge across Sungai Rimbas is completed, maybe in one or two years,” she said.
Salmi waits for passengers at the jetty.
Boatman Salmi Kadia, 62, who has taken passengers across Sungai Rimbas for some 10 years, welcomed the construction of the bridge, which he said would improve connectivity.
“When the bridge is connected, I can put more focus on fishing and farming. Changes to this town can be seen year by year,” he said.
On the welfare needs of the people, Salmi added: “We hope to see more projects and support for the fishing sector, including boat engines and so on, for a more sustainable livelihood.”
Photo shows the construction site of the bridge across Sungai Rimbas.
Photo shows the Pusa District Office.