Awang Tengah (centre) at the launching ceremony.
BA KELALAN (Nov 17): Over 2,500 villagers in Ba Kelalan, Long Semadoh, Long Sukang and Pa’kapulu will soon enjoy clean treated water by the end of 2024, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
He said the water treatment plant project, which will begin soon at each of these villages, is part of the 160 projects under the Northern Region Development Agency which has been allocated with RM1.5 billion by the state government to expedite rural infrastructure development.
“Also in the pipeline are mega projects in Lawas such as the new Lawas airport and the 87 kilometre Northern Coastal Highway, with both projects expected to start construction in the first and second quarter of 2023 respectively.
“These developments will create many job and business opportunities for the locals. We also have plans to develop the petrochemical project in Lawas where we are looking at constructing an integrated petrochemical refinery complex with an investment worth US$5 billion,” he said at an officiating ceremony for the water treatment plant project here.
Awang Tengah added the joint border development had been approved by the state government for Ba Kelalan in the last Budget speech, which would enhance trade and investment between the countries.
“These development projects show the state government’s far-sightedness in developing Sarawak towards becoming a high-income and developed state by 2030,” he added.