Abang Johari (sixth left) with Juma’ani (seventh left), Mohammad Ali (fourth left), Minos (fifth left), Dr Sim (sixth right), Abdul Karim (fifth right) and Idris (third right) cutting the anniversary cake on stage.
KUCHING: The Sarawak government will set up Integrated Regional Samarahan Development Agency (IRSDA) to spearhead and speed up development in the division.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said this is to ensure that the development process in Samarahan, which includes Simunjan,
can be done holistically with the involvement of elected representatives and community leaders.
“IRSDA will conduct research and identify development needed in Kota Samarahan and we will provide funding for the agency,” he said at the Kota Samarahan Municipal Council second anniversary dinner at Kota Samarahan Civic Centre on Sunday.
He added that the focus will be on developing Samarahan as a region which has various resources like land, education centres and commercial centres.
He expressed confidence that with the agency, Samarahan will be a busy city and become the main development area especially for modern agriculture once the coastal road network, including the Samarahan bridge, Batang Sadong bridge and Batang Lupar bridge, connecting Kuching and other areas throughout Samarahan is completed.
Speaking about road congestion in the area, he disclosed that traffic lights will be installed at three main roundabouts there early next year which will use the latest system to ensure smooth traffic flow.
Replying to the suggestion by the municipal council’s chairman Datuk Peter Minos for a Light Rail Transit to be built to connect Samarahan and Kuching, he said the state government was focusing on preparing basic amenities for the folks here.
“For now I ‘colop’ (postpone) this wish of building a LRT, if all the basic amenities are fulfilled and we have enough funding, we will do it in the future,” he said.
Earlier, Minos pledged that the municipal council would always give the best service to Samarahan folks.
“Kota Samarahan is getting busier and we will continue to improve the services from time to time to fulfil the needs of the people in the area,” he said.
Present at the event were Abang Johari’s wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang; Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian; Stakan assemblyman Dato Sri Mohammad Ali Mahmud, Muara Tuang assemblyman Datuk Idris Buang and Samarahan Resident Ibrahim Lumpu.