Wong shows the Sibu Development Master Plan.
SIBU: The development of Sibu was almost completed in 2010 due to the strong visionary team back then, says Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
He said the visionary team included five state assemblymen including himself and two members of parliament.
“We had political group power. We had a team to secure fund from the state government for the development in Sibu. At that time, we helped to initiate and build Igan Bridge, Durin Bridge and Upper Lanang Bridge,” he said.
He was responding to Bintulu MP Dato Sri Tiong King Sing who said that development in Sibu had come to a standstill and had become a ‘senior citizen town’.
According to Wong, who is also Bawang Assan assemblyman, many developments had taken place under the visionary team, such as airport extension, Sibu town square, Sibu lake garden, Sibu industrial development area, roads turned to dual carriageway and so forth.
However, after Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) failed to secure seats during the 2011 election, the political strength to secure funds for Sibu was lessened.
He said he was the only minister from Sibu then, and he shifted his focus to education development, which led to the setting up of a university, construction of a library and indoor stadium.
He also asked Tiong to focus on the development in Bintulu.
Since Tiong is the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to People’s Republic of China, Wong said he should also focus on promoting and think of ways to help boost the economy in Sibu.
On the Sibu Development Master Plan, Wong said he had already come up with one in 2010. He commended Sibu Urban Renewal Committee chairman Dato Chieng Buong Toon for his effort in developing Sibu and to come up with a master plan.
However, he said Chieng should also focus on solving the problems that Sibu is facing now.