BARU Bian (PSB-Ba’Kelalan) hoped that the government would make every effort to be fair when providing basic amenities and facilities in northern Sarawak.
He told the august House that the people in Ba’Kelalan area, for example, face daily hardship and problems such as lack of electricity, water, internet connection, floods, bad roads, and dilapidated school, including the recent Petronas pipeline explosion.
“Ba’ Kelalan residents are faced with many challenges daily. Frequent blackouts, unannounced water supply interruptions, poor internet and mobile phone connections, and floods, just to name a few.
“I have highlighted these problems at almost every DUN sitting. On the frequent power outages, I was made to understand that the cause is the failure of the transformers along the grid. Many of these transformers are old and need to be replaced,” he said.
He addressed the problem during the debate on the Supply Bill (2023) and Motion to Refer to the Development Budget Resolution for 2023, today (Nov 24).
Baru also mentioned the constant water supply problems faced by the people in Lawas, which he said is unacceptable in this day and age.
“It is unacceptable that the reliable water supply is unreliable in the smaller towns and rural areas.
“During the two weeks of campaigning in Lawas, there was a day when no water flowed in the pipes in Kpg Siang-Siang, Trusan. It confirmed the complaints I received from Lawas folks that our water supply is very unreliable.
“I recall that the minister in charge replied to my query during our last DUN sitting, saying that the government has planned to increase the capacity of the Gelugus and Trusan Treatment Plants.
“I would like an update on the status of these projects in Lawas and whether they will resolve once and for all the water supply woes of the people,” he said.
In regards to the internet connection in Lawas and surrounding areas, he said it was unstable and erratic.
Baru said people in Lawas and Ba’Kelalan paid the same for the various internet packages but don’t get what the city people enjoy.
“Speed tests that were done in Lawas showed upload speeds of 16.1 to 32 Mbps (megabytes per second). In Kuching and KL, people have 300 Mbps in residential premises.
“A good internet connection is considered a necessity in today’s world. Without a good connection, they cannot do online banking, shopping, and many other activities which are now increasingly migrating online,” said Baru.
He also mentioned that the government had announced that a road will be built from Long Luping to Buduk Nur along the Indonesian border at a cost of RM80 mln.
“This sum is not enough to build this length of road. Could the minister in charge update us on the status of this road?” he asked.
Baru then addressed two school projects that were supposed to have been completed in July and April this year. These are the repair and improvement of 11 schools in Ba’Kelalan, Lawas district and the installation of hybrid-solar for 134 rural schools.
“I understand that the first project is part of the RM1-billion loan repayment to the federal government that was ploughed back for repairing dilapidated schools in Sarawak.
“The second project is part of the RM1.25-billion project to supply solar hybrid energy to 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
“Again our children suffer because of irresponsible contractors. I want to know whether these projects will be continued and whether action will be taken against the contractors concerned,” he said.
