DALAT: The residents of Kampung Balan, near here, are hoping that the first phase of Jalan Kampung Tanam-Medong will completed soon.
According a villager, Zaidi Kassim, they had been waiting for the project to be completed much earlier than the rescheduled November 12 this year.
“As a resident of the affected village, I presume the people of Kampung Tanam have the same opinion about the matter, that is, we want the project to be completed as soon as possible,” he said.
Hence, he expressed his gratitude to Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah and Assistant Minister of Coastal Road, Datuk Julaihi Narawi, for visiting the project on September 25.
“They want the project to be completed as scheduled this year because they know that the residents of the two affected villages in the first phase of the project, Kpg Tanam and Kpg Balan, want to enjoy good road connectivity like others,” he said.
An exco member of several NGOs in the area, Zaidi believed that with the point-blank warning by the two ministers, the contractor would fulfil the wishes of the people by completing the project as scheduled.
Zaidi said this when was asked by New Sarawak Tribune to comment on the latest development of the project, especially after the visit by the two ministers.
Meanwhile, an anonymous villager from Kampung Tanam disclosed that the project, which started in 2014, was considered a `sick project’ and at one point, some of the affected residents had staged a peaceful protest against it.
“The bridges built then were too low, and not passable to boats. That scenario had affected the routine of the villagers, especially the landowners in the area.
“Getting their jungle products or floating their sago logs was impossible then, causing some of the affected villagers to stage a peaceful demonstration,” he said.
Following that action, the project was put on hold for a certain period. Then it continued with rebuilding of higher bridges passable to boats.
With a cost of some RM32.8 million, the 8.3km road which is the first phase of Jalan Kampung Tanam-Medong, will greatly benefit residents in the area who will then be able to drive from their homes. All this while, they had to park their vehicles on the opposite bank of the river.
