A TOTAL of RM112.5 million has been approved for 11 high-impact Projek Rakyat and the construction of the RM30 million Penakub Ulu Bridge in the Balingian constituency.
Abdul Yakub Arbi (PBB-Balingian) said RM10 million had been approved for the Kuala Balingian Mosque, which was expected to be implemented next year.
He said among the other projects was the RM5 million Mateding Food Court Project which was being implemented and expected to be completed next February and the Dalat and Mukah District Council Balingian Branch Office and Resource Centre at RM5 million which was expected to be completed next September.
“The Balingian Small District Office costing RM5 million is under implementation while the proposal for the RM9 million Balingian Stadium upgrade has been approved and is in the process of tender,” he said when debating on the Supply (2021) Bill 2020 in the DUN sitting today.
Besides this, he said the proposal for the construction of Benteng Hakisan Sungai at RM 5.5 million had been approved and was in the process of tender whereas the site for the proposed construction of the RM5 million Anjung Selera Balingian had been approved by the Land and Survey Department.
On Rural Transformation Projects (RTPs), he said 132 projects had been implemented in Balingian from 2016 until this year.
“As for the Village Expansion Scheme (SPK)/Resettlement Scheme (SPS), the total number of SPK and SPS lots in Balingian is 1,797 – and 649 lots have been allocated,” said Abdul Yakub.
“For the Rural Water Supply Project in Simpang Ulu Bayan, Kuala Balingian Serupai, the allocation for the entirety of the project is RM38.85 million. This project has benefited 614 new users,” he said.
With regard to the Rural Electricity Supply (RES) Scheme and the Additional or Late Applicant Funds (ALAF) in Balingian, he said the total cost was RM5 million involving 155 households.
“One project involving 28 households has been completed, nine projects involving 55 households is under implementation, and the rest are awaiting the process of tender,” he said.
He also gave the thumbs-up to the state government’s RM10 million injection into developing a project on biogas from sago liquid waste – to be jointly undertaken via a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Craun Research Sdn Bhd, Knowledge Integration Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd, and Nitsei Sago Industries Sdn Bhd.
“This is the first in Malaysia and perhaps even the world,” he said, adding that the outcome could benefit households in Kampung Teh and Kampung Tabo, Mukah.
At the same time, Abdul Yakub commended the inclusive and rural-biased 2021 State Budget which would help to bridge the urban-rural gap.
