Wan Junaidi with villagers at the Jualan Sentuhan Rakyat 2018.
SANTUBONG: The government has allocated nearly half a billion ringgit to convert eight bailey bridges to concrete bridges in Santubong Parliamentary area.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the bridge upgrading project will be carried out from Telaga Air to Sempadi, Lundu. The project has begun and will be completed possibly by 2020.
At the moment, the seven bailey bridges are narrow, and road users have to use the ferry to cross Batang Rambungan, he said.
“The project is rarely mentioned, but the allocation is already there. However, this process will take some time as the technical studies by the Public Works Department are underway.
“May be in five years’, all the bridges including the new concrete bridge in Sungai Rambungan will be completed. This is not an empty promise, nor an election promise but the fovernment’s process to help the people in this area,” he explained.
He was met by reporters after launching the ‘Jualan Sentuhan Rakyat 2018’ programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Santubong yesterday.
Wan Junadi expressed his confidence the bridge will not only facilitate the movement of people in the area, but will shorten travelling time and distance from Kuching to Lundu.
“In fact, the completion of this concrete bridge will also open up other development projects that can improve the economic status of the people in the area,” he said.
On another matter, when asked whether the opposition had played on an issue that could undermine the harmony of the people in Santubong area, Wan Junaid said: “There is no issue the opposition can raise because the area as well as other areas in the State are being taken care of by the government.
“Nevertheless, I hope the opposition contesting in the 14th General Election will show good ethics, practise democracy, not defaming and lying just to get votes,” he said.