(From right) Ismail, Ahmad Zahid and Zulkifeli take a closer look at a tar-sealing of road demonstration by army personnel.
MIRI: The Royal Engineer Regiment of the Malaysian Armed Forces has constructed a total of 1,223km of roads throughout Sarawak, through its Jiwa Murni programme involving cost of RM743 million.
According to Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the allocation for the projects had been channelled directly to the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Rural Development.
“The projects include the upgrading of timber roads to rural road as well as constructing new roads and connecting them to existing roads,” he told a press conference in Sepupok, Niah yesterday.
The press conference was held in conjunction with the launching of Jiwa Murni programme to upgrade Jalan Skim Rancangan Sepupok in Niah. Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Malaysian Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin and BN candidate for Bekenu Rosey Yunus were also present.
“Most importantly, this (programme) can reduce the transportation cost of daily essentials in Sarawak, especially in rural areas. For example, if a gas cylinder was priced RM50, it can now be had for between RM24 and RM28,” he told reporters.
He added that the construction of Jiwa Murni roads had also improved the social-economic status of residents in the surrounding areas as the marketability level of their products had increased with better road system.
“The Engineering Corp of our Malaysian Armed Forces has done a great job, building not only roads, but also bridges. Some people may say that they are not doing anything because we are not in war, but actually they have done a lot for the people,” Zahid said.
Earlier in his address, Zahid said the cost of the 18km Skim Sepupok Niah Road Project was RM35.5 million and it would benefit some 4,000 villagers from 14 longhouses and three schools in the area.
“The cost of each every kilometre of road through Jiwa Murni is RM2.09 million, compared to RM6 million per kilometre using the conventional method. So the army is building good quality road at a cheaper cost, which is a huge saving,” he said.
For the project, MAF is working together with an appointed contractor Syarikat Hanayin Engineering Sdn Bhd, to complete the project by April next year.
In his address earlier, Zahid urged the people in Bekenu and Niah to always support the government in order to enjoy more development.
“If you continue to support the government, we can bring in more development to you. In fact, we have also approved a
RM94.5 million water project for Bekenu and another RM1.2 million PPRT project (hardcore poor housing project) here,” he said.
He said only BN could bring in such development while those who stood against BN would never be able to fulfil their promises.