State’s remotest division gets close to RM0.5 bln in project funds with more to come in 10MP
SONG: The government has approved a total of RM200 million for the implementation of rural water and electricity supply projects in Kapit.Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, in announcing this yesterday, said the projects were under the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) and would commence by 2012.
Taib was speaking during the meet-the-people session held in Song, a district under Kapit, about two hours’ express boat ride from Sibu.
“There are more projects to come under the Tenth Malaysia Plan but I cannot disclose the details yet as we have not got the final approval.
“This is also a spin-off of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE),” he said.
Taib said 20 years ago the government always had to think very hard when it came to bringing developments to Kapit.
He said the cost of building a road to link Kapit with other places was too high due to geographical factors like mountainous terrains, and limited resources. He said cost was always a very important consideration because Kapit is not only the most remote but is also so big in size – even larger than Pahang – yet with a sparsely distributed population of only about 100,000.
“So you can see we have never been spending so much like this, not for Kapit or Song. But now as Kapit is included within the SCORE area, we are confident we can get the return from our investments from the development projects we have implemented and those planned for Song.
“We believe all this will change the living standard of the people,” he said.
Speaking further on bringing development, particularly to the people of Kapit, Taib said mega projects would take time and would not be an overnight task.
He said the town would emerge slowly as a developed place.
“A mega development project cannot be executed in just a year or two. As you can see, when we develop a particular area, it will take a long time to complete.”
On the building of the road from Kapit to Tunoh, he said it took a long time and needed almost RM200 million in cost for its construction.
On development projects in Song, he said a total of RM271 million had been allocated for roads, water supply and school computer laboratory projects.
He said of the total amount, RM38 million was for land compensation alone, for the construction of Poi-Ngemah-Temalat-Song-Kapit Road.
“The construction of the 9-km stretch will cost another RM85 million,” he said.
He added that the road would link Song and Kapit to Sibu and other places in the state. Earlier, on his arrival there, Taib spent about 15 minutes meeting and exchanging greetings with the locals before attending a briefing on Song’s proposed riverfront esplanade project by architect Henry Chuo of Arkitek Gayasari.
At certain point, the reporters overheard among the 3,000 locals saying to each other about not to missing the rare opportunity to see Taib in person and shake his hand.
Many said the last time he came to Song was before the state election in 2006.
Some of the elderly persons were clearly overjoyed saying words like: “Apu wai! Gayu amat aku udah betabi jari enggau Taib.” (I shook the hand of the chief minister. I’ll live long like him.)
Later, Taib performed the Friday prayer with the Muslims from Kampung Gelam at Masjid Song.
Throughout his meeting with the people, Taib was accompanied by, among others, Land Development Minister Dato Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Economic Planning) Larry Sng, Assistant Minister of Public Utilities Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Kapit MP Alexander Nanta Linggi, Katibas assemblyman Datuk Ambrose Blikau, Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Billy Abit Joo, Nangka assemblyman Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah, Daro assemblyman Dr Murni Suhaili and political secretaries to the chief minister Paul Igai, Wilson Nyabong and Abu Seman Jahwie.