Tasik Biru poised for more development in next 5 years

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Henry (third right) and Abang Johari (third left) together hold the Bau master plan, as others look on.

Henry (third right) and Abang Johari (third left) together hold the Bau master plan, as others look on.

KUCHING: Tasik Biru constituency is poised for more development in the next five years and beyond under the Bau transformation master plan.

Its assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep said the master plan was being realised following a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg on Thursday at the latter’s office in Wisma Sultan Tengah.

Also at the meeting were state director of Land and Survey Department Datu Sajeli Kipli, State Implementation Monitoring Unit (SIMU) director Bakrie Zaini and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Tasik Biru chairman John Nyigor.

Henry, a new face introduced by Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) for the recently concluded state election, said they were working together as a team to transform Bau — the nerve centre for Tasik Biru — and bring economic buoyancy to the district.

“It was a fruitful meeting because it allowed us to come up with the Bau transformation master plan that would include three main components — infrastructure, housing and tourism. With this, we will definitely increase the socio-economic standard of the people in Bau, to create a more conducive and livable Bau with more business and employment opportunities for all,” said Henry.

He also said the meeting was also to allow Abang Johari to realise pledges and commitments made when he (Abang Johari) came to assist him (Henry) in Tasik Biru during the campaigning period.

“Among proposed infrastructure projects agreed by the deputy chief minister included Tondong-Sebuku and Buso-Pangkalan Musi bridges.

“This will go along with widening of the road stretch from Sibuluh junction to Bau town into Standard R5 road which was approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on May 6. With this connectivity and link with the Pan Borneo Highway, Bau will be well connected, making it a ‘must visit’ town.

“Time for road travel will be greatly reduced, and Bau will be a part of greater Kuching City, thus allowing the transformation of Bau into a hub for business and tourism. With these good infrastructure, we hope to attract private investors to come to Bau and further transform the district,” he said.

Henry also said that Abang Johari as Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture had a vision for Bau to be a tourism hub by improving facilities at potential tourist destinations such as the weekend Serikin Market, Fairy Cave, Wind Cave, and also the famous lake from which the constituency got its name from.

The master plan was also necessitated because Abang Johari, who is also Minister of Housing and Urbanisation, wanted to realise the people’s request for the expansion of Bau town.

“It will be a mixed development Bau town expansion and also self-sustaining. It will involve a big area for housing, commercial and recreational to generate socio-economic activities for the locals,” he said.

Although the master plan details development for five to 10 years, Henry was optimistic some of the projects would kick off soon.

“Of course, we don’t wait till the end of the five years for things to start going. We want something to be in place, the earlier the better,” he said.

He also mentioned that progress of the master plan would be included in his monthly performance report to be submitted to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

“It will be my KPI (key performance indicator),” he said, referring to the requirement for all 72 Barisan Nasional assemblymen to submit their monthly performance reports for six months as announced recently by Adenan.

On another matter, Henry said he recently attended at briefing at Bau District Office where he suggested that a book be written on the history of Bau.

This was line with the call made by the chief minister for district officers to document the history and origin of places they serve to act as references for future generations.