KUCHING: The federal Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry will collaborate with the state government to develop groundwater resources in the state.
Its minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar said there is already an agreement with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the ministry will appoint experts to assist in the endeavour.
“A meeting will be held to further discuss this. Then we will start by doing 4D mapping of Sarawak to get the latest data,” he said in a press conference after paying a courtesy visit on Abang Johari and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at the former’s office, yesterday.
He said the project is expected to start this year or early next year in the rural areas. They had already started in Malaya and are looking forward to work in the state.
In the meantime, he said RM4 million a year will be allocated for surveying and measuring Sarawak’s land borders with Kalimantan and Brunei.
“My ministry through the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) is committed to protect the borders of the country,” he said, adding that priority would also be given to solve the four outstanding boundary problem areas in Sarawak, namely, at Gunung Raya, Gunung Jagoi and Batu Aum.
