Manyin (third right) hands over duties to Masing as others look on. — Photo by Kong Jun Liong
KUCHING: The whole Sarawak Cabinet will have to work together to get the necessary funds to build more roads in the state, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing.
Alluding to the fact that the state needs more political will, he said it is a challenge to build another more than 4,000 roads in the next 15 years to connect over 1,000 villages and settlements which are still without road connectivity.
Speaking to reporters after a handover of duties ceremony yesterday, he expected the cost of building the roads to be not less than RM28.4 billion.
“The issue is do we have the capacity to do it? I think we have. But do we have the money to do it? That is why we have to work together to do it. My colleagues and I in the cabinet will have to work together to get the necessary funding so that we are all connected by 2030. That is our aim.
“My first priority is to get connectivity in all areas, mostly rural areas. As you understand, Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) as announced by Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem) is looking into that. We’ve got to understand the differences between the urban and rural needs of infrastructure,” he said.
Masing, who is also Infrastructure Development and Transportation Minister, earlier received duties from previous infrastructure development and communications minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin at Bangunan Baitul Makmur here.
Masing was appointed to this portfolio following the new State Cabinet line-up announced by Adenan days after the just concluded state election last month, which saw Manyin appointed to the new portfolio of Minister of Youth and Sports and Solidarity.
On Manyin, Masing said the Tebedu assemblyman had done very well in the past six years as minister in charge of this ministry. Masing believed that there are many people in the ministry capable of assisting him in his aim to ensure road connectivity to all cities, towns, villages and settlements by 2030.
“It’s not an easy task but we will do it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Manyin said building roads in Sarawak is challenging due to extremes in geographical conditions – deep peat soil in coastal areas and mountainous terrain in the interior.
“In terms of population density, there are 20 persons per sq kilometre, and in rural areas probably five persons per sq kilometre. To build a road from one village to another can cost around RM100 million just to connect 100 people. That is a challenge, ” he said.
Yesterday’s ceremony also saw the presence of three assistant ministers under the ministry; namely Assistant Minister for Infrastructure Development Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Assistant Minister for Land and Water Transportation and Safety Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Assistant Minister for River Transportation and Safety Liwan Lagang.
They were earlier briefed by the ministry’s permanent secretary Safri Zainudin on matters handled by the ministry, as well as composition of board members in port authorities and Sarawak Rivers Board.
Some board members in port authorities may be replaced by new faces.