MUKAH: Additional funding will be allocated to the Mukah waterfront construction owing to the need for land reclamation in certain areas, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Initially, he said the approved budget for the project was estimated at RM100 million, with 60 per cent allocated for the first phase and 40 per cent for the second phase.
“The Mukah waterfront needs to be slightly redesigned, which requires additional funding.
“It will feature a beautiful area. If we reclaim several metres, the landscape will certainly be different. The Mukah landscape will change with the presence of this waterfront,” he said.
He said this during a press conference after conducting a working visit to Universiti Teknologi Sarawak (UTS) Laila Taib Campus on Tuesday.
Abang Johari assured that additional funds would be provided to accommodate the necessary reclamation work, ensuring that local settlements are not affected.
He said that construction work on the Mukah waterfront is scheduled to begin in 2025, following the completion of a new survey.
He added that the project would also transform the landscape of Mukah, including the area around the Tellian River.
“At Tellian River, where the Kaul Festival is often held, when the river flows out to the sea, it will lead directly to the waterfront.
“This will create a more attractive setting for hosting the Kaul festival in Mukah,” he said.
The Mukah waterfront construction comes under the Rajang Delta Development Agency (RADDA) as part of an initiative to enhance infrastructure in the region.
Also present during the visit were Deputy Minister of Economy and Mukah MP Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib, Minister of Women, Early Childhood, and Community Well-being Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah who is Dalat assemblywoman, Chief Political Secretary to the Premier, Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, who is Tupong assemblyman and Tellian assemblyman Royston Valentine.