KUCHING (Aug 6): Fifteen new Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) projects worth RM5 million will be implemented this year in Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian’s constituency of Batu Kawah.
The projects cover basic infrastructure and improvement of roads, ditches, street lamps, leisure places for the people and people’s halls, and will be carried out by Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), Department of Irrigation and Drainage Sarawak, and Ministry of Utilities Sarawak.
Among the projects are graveyard road upgrading at Jalan Chong Jin Chong; new drainage system and road upgrade for Lorong Taman Sri Emas 8; upgrading of football field at RPR Lorong 12; construction of new office room at Balai Raya Skim Penempatan Stapok; installation of new and upgrading of existing street lights at Batu Kawa area, Phase 3.
The Sarawak government’s RTP funding is aimed at strengthening rural development, and for the past few years, Dr Sim had used this RTP to implement proposed development plans in his constituency.
Besides that, Dr Sim continues to focus on the ongoing projects to upgrade the drainage system at back lanes of RPR Batu Kawa housing, ensuring that if fully implemented, it will give a facelift to the existing 30-year-old drainage system.
“This residential area has long existed, and the residents long faced the poor drainage system at the front and back lanes,” he was quoted as saying in a statement yesterday.
As for the back lanes area drainage system, Dr Sim said that all will be fully upgraded in phases and he assured that none of the back lanes drainage system would be overlooked.
MPP deputy secretary (planning & development) Goh Thiam Ho briefed Dr Sim on the latest progress of the project and informed him that every back lane upgrading project will cost RM500,000.