By Peter Sibon and Karen Bong
KUCHING, Dec 31: An additional RM94 million will be injected to improve basic infrastructure development in Bau, thus making the total allocation to RM223 million for all approved projects.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, in announcing this, revealed that a total of RM129 million had been approved in the past two years for all projects in Bau.
“But with new requests, the total allocation has been increased to RM223 million.
“The upgrade for water and electricity supplies with RM40 million allocation until Lundu and Sematan is under construction and hopefully it will be completed next year.
“Roads are also being upgraded under Pan Borneo Highway and another passing through Siniawan to Batu Kitang right to Bau with dual carriageway, all using State fund. Later, feeder roads will be implemented,” he highlighted at the Bau Bicentennial Celebration: 200 Years History of Bau at Tasik Biru here today.
With a lot of activities in Bau within the next decade as the town will be transformed with other areas of Kuching, Serian, Lundu, Sematan right up to Pantai Damai, Abang Johari said the future for Bau and Sarawak is bright.
He added that development will move to the next level in between under the Bau masterplan with tourism being the core industry together with other supporting industries like nature, culture and food and beverage as well as the potentials for agriculture given the fertility of the land here.
This will be possible, he continued, with the strong fundamental of Sarawak’s economy, apart from continuous infrastructure development as Sarawak has managed to assert its rights on oil and gas with the signing of the Commercial Settlement Agreement (CSA) with Petronas and good management of the pandemic.
“In the next 10 years, the private sector will come in and join the public sector to develop Bau. Bau and Sarawak will be transformed with linked economic development.
“With many attractions here, Bau can be turned into a resort to position the town between Kuching and Lundu-Sematan. Let us work together to build a new Bau with new gold,” he called on.
However, Abang Johari once again reminded that the most important thing to take care of was Sarawak’s unity which has been “so far so good unlike on the other side which was still unstable.”
“What I want is to transform Sarawak as the powerhouse in Malaysia. With its current strong fundamental, we increase revenue and enhance the economy. We have a pool of talented Sarawakians as well.
“As we celebrate the success of the gold industry in Sarawak today, let’s find new gold. That new gold will be there provided that GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) is still there. With visionary leaders in the government, the future of Sarawak will be there,” he said.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jwong, Deputy State Secretary (Rural Transformation) Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik, Tasik Biru assemblyman Dato Henry Harry Jinep, Tanjung Datu assemblywoman Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu and Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh were among those present. — DayakDaily
