Ting (second left) inspects the toilet project site on Canada Hill. — Photo by Mohd Aliff Idzwan
MIRI (Jan 8): About two-thirds of the 38 Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) projects slated for Piasau constituency last year have reached completion.
In stating this, Assistant Minister I of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sebastian Ting has commended the contractors as well as the Miri City Council (MCC), as the implementing agency, for getting these RTP projects to be completed on time, calling upon them to do their best in expediting the works on the remaining one-third.
“Although there have been delays in some of the projects due to the year-end holidays, we have been assured by the contractors in-charge that the remaining projects should reach completion in a timely manner,” he told reporters during his inspection on the RTP project sites here yesterday.
Ting, who is Piasau assemblyman, visited the project sites at Canada Hill, Taman Bumiko and Bulatan Park where he was accompanied by MCC officials.
The first stop was the toilet project site on Canada Hill, where the current works progress is at 95 per cent and the expected completion date is by this Jan 15.
“The remaining works primarily comprise clean-ups; the water supply was connected to the facility earlier, while the electricity connection would be carried out soon,” said Ting.
He later headed to Taman Bumiko to see the basketball court project site at Jalan Bunga Raya 5 there.
“This RM350,000 project commenced in mid-September last year and initially, it was supposed to be completed within three months after that.
“However, due to the state election where all workers returned home to cast their votes on polling day (Dec 18) and followed by the year-end holidays, the project experienced a slight delay.
“The contractor had applied for the extension of time, assuring us that the remaining works would reach completion by the end of this month,” said Ting, listing the play and spectators’ areas, storage area for equipment and also drainage as main components of the basketball court project.
The assistant minister’s next stop was Bulatan Park where Mayor Adam Yii, who is Pujut assemblyman, joined him in the inspection.
RM1 million had been allocated for several RTP projects at the park.
Breaking it down, RM300,000 was set aside for the setting up of a children’s playground and an outdoor exercise area, RM300,000 for repair works on the jogging track, and RM400,000 was for the extension works.
Overall, Ting was satisfied with the progress at Bulatan Park.
“It’s satisfactory, although there are some faulty equipment and facilities, of which I have requested the MCC to ensure that they would be replaced,” he said.
The park’s extension project involves the vacant land behind Sekolah Vokasional Miri, facing Jalan Bulatan Park.
The works, which are still on-going, also cover the construction of a three-lane jogging spanning 400m.
In this regard, Ting said a velocity pump-track had been proposed to be built next to the jogging track later on, to accommodate mountain bikers.
He said with an estimated cost of RM600,000, the pump-track project would be put under the Piasau’s RTP for this year upon approval from the relevant authorities.