KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has announced that one of the state’s Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) vehicles will be christened ‘Bulan,’ harking back to the era of Sarawak’s locomotives.
In the past, these steam engines, such as ‘Bulan,’ ‘Bintang’ and Jean, were powered by coal.
The historical connection comes from the time when Sarawak’s second Rajah, Charles Brooke, established the Sarawak Government Railway Line on April 9, 1916, which provided transportation for passengers and goods until it ceased operations in 1947.
“The Padang Pasir area will be developed, and it will be just like Kuching Sentral and KL Sentral.
“The ART will start from there, and this is because we are developing the ART that will connect Samarahan to Kuching through Jalan Keretapi, which is now known as Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, where three locomotives once operated.
“One of the locomotives was named ‘Bulan’, while the other was named ‘Bintang’. Thus, our first ART will also be named ‘Bulan’,” he said.
He said this when officiating at the launch of Pertubuhan Anak Seni Bandarsah Kuching’s (PASBK) Community Hall last night (July 28).
Abang Johari further said the state’s ART is a modern transportation system that uses new technology and does not emit carbon like the previous Bus Number 7.
“Our public transport is the first in the ASEAN region that uses hydrogen. This is the future of public transportation.
“Alhamdulillah, everything that we planned and executed reflects the progress of our development,” he said.
Meanwhile, among those present were Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Economic and Development Planning) Datuk Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, Satok assemblyman Datuk Ibrahim Baki, Tanjung Datu assemblyman Azizul Annuar Adenan, PASBK advisor Datuk Abdul Karim Tun Abang Openg, and PASBK chairman Abdul Rahman Zainuddin.
