THE Federal and Sarawak governments have been asked to build a border security road network and a Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) complex in Murum, to link Sarawak with Nusantara, Kalimantan.
Murum assemblyman, Kennedy Chukpal Ugon said the proposed road should start at Murum Dam in Belaga and stretches about 123 km to the Long Nawang CIQS post in Indonesia.
“This security border road shall also pass through Long Lidem, then to Long Unai and Tapak Megah (Malaysian border post). Recently, when we visited Long Nawang CIQS, we saw that Indonesia is 75 per cent ready in terms of facilities and roads, (but) Sarawak is still using logging roads.
“We are proposing to the government to build a CIQS nearer to Indonesia because we cannot afford to build (the CIQS) too far away as we cannot control the movements and the possibility of the opening of rat routes,” he told a press conference at the State Legislative Assembly yesterday.
“As we already know, Indonesia is actively developing their CIQS Post in Long Nawang close to our country and it is understood that 75 per cent is complete and is expected to be inaugurated by Indonesia President Jokowi Widodo this August.
“Hence, I urged the government to build our CIQS in Long Unai with an immediate rate to balance development in the border area especially involving the importance of security of our energy assets which are Bakun Dam, Murum Dam and the upcoming Baleh Dam,” he said.
He added that with the construction of a road network in the middle of Borneo Island, this will surely be a “game changer” that will boost the socio-economic development of Sarawak.
“This is in line with the aspirations of PCDS 2030 apart from creating stability and a balance of development and security control between the two regions.
