LAWAS: The water supply issues in Kampung Punang and other villages here will be resolved, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
He said the state government would construct pipelines from the Gelugus water plant to Kampung Punang.
The project, which cost RM26 million, was in the tendering process.
He explained that it involved the building of elevated water tanks, especially for Kampung Punang.
“The Rural Water Supply Department has addressed this issue and provided a short-term solution.
“I know that this problem has been around for a long time for the villages here. A few months ago, the villagers of Kampung Punang organised a demonstration because the Rural Water Supply Department did not engage with the people.
“Sometimes, there is water. Sometimes, there is only air (angin). That’s why the villagers were frustrated,” he said.
Awang Tengah was speaking at a dialogue at Kampung Punang Lama here on Monday (Sept 28).
He assured that electricity would be provided to all areas here and that the state government was working hard to increase the electricity coverage in rural areas.
He added Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had approved an allocation of RM2.3 billion to provide electricity to rural areas of Sarawak including those in the Lawas district.
“The state government is also planning to connect Limbang and Lawas to the state power grid by 2023,” he revealed.
Also present during the session were Abang Johari and his wife Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang, Deputy Minister of Rural Development Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, and Assistant Minister of International Trade and Industry, Industry Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Naroden Majais.
