KAPIT: Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi recently disclosed that the sum of RM59.4 million has been allocated by the government this year for the upgrading of the abandoned logging company roads in Kapit division.
This includes Song and Belaga under ‘Projek Menaiktaraf Bekas Jalan Pembalakan Kapit 2017’ to provide connectivity to the rural community that will be implemented soon.
“We have bid for the funding in Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the rural road development programme but unfortunately we did not get any fund for the project as priority was given to other rural areas like Baram.
“However for Phase 4 of the programme this is the first time we managed to get the funding to upgrade the abandoned logging company roads that are connected to the various longhouses in the rural areas in Song ,Belaga and Kapit districts,” said Nanta when speaking to reporters at the ‘Leaders-Meet-the-People session organised by the Special Affairs Department (JASA) held at Rumah Beli Anak Jalak at Sungai Ibau, Batang Rajang in Kapit district.
“It is unlikely that we can construct road access to the remote longhouses at the moment so we take the opportunity to upgrade the former/abandoned logging company roads that have access to the rural longhouses to provide them with accessibility. These roads will be upgraded and this will provide better connectivity or access for the people in the rural longhouses.
“So far the consultants and the surveyors as well the District Offices are already on site for the inspection at the various routes/locations to carry out the survey works on the length of the roads and collecting other data that is very much welcomed by the local people” said Nanta.
Commenting on the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES), he told that those longhouses that are not connected by roads especially across the Rajang River will also be provided with electricity through the RES project.
“For those longhouses on the opposite banks of the Rajang river that are not connected by road, the government will provide them with electricity through laying submarine cables to connect those longhouses along the tributaries of the Rajang River on the opposite side including Sungai Ibau, Melipis, Belawai, Menuan, Goh and Seranau.
“Where longhouses that we could not connect by grid, KKLW and the state government through Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) will provide electricity through solar power and we already have several longhouses using hybrid solar power,” said the Kapit MP.
Present at the function were Bukit Goram, State Assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat, a political secretary to the Chief Minister Tapah Ata; Kapit District Officer, Elvis Didi and heads of government departments as well as local community leaders and 250 longhouse residents.
