SIBU: The present shortage of cement has prompted the Sarawak Building and Civil Engineering Contractors Association to call for the setting up of another cement plant in the state.
At present, there are only two cement manufacturing plants in the state – in Kuching and Bintulu.
Its chairman Siek King Kuong, who made the suggestion, said the current shortage of cement had delayed the completion of quite a number of projects.
He noted that the shortage problem often cropped up towards the end of the year. To address this, more cement should have been delivered way before the Christmas holidays to remove the bottleneck.
“The same problem crops up each year towards the end of the year. That is why we are suggesting the setting up of another (cement) factory,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Asked about the cause of the material shortage, Siek, who is also Sibu Division Building and Civil Engineering Contractors Association chairman, said that if it was due to technical reasons, then nothing much could be done.
Among those present was an association official Loh Ing Kiong.