KUCHING, Feb 8: Work on the ‘missing link’ road between Kapit and Ngemah will begin on Feb 20 this year wheb contractors will be at the site to start work.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said the project consisted of two packages which was the 9.6km between Temalat and Ngemah, and a 5.1km stretch between Ngemah and Kapit.
“Both packages cost around RM150 million. Contractors have been appointed and will go down to the site on Feb 20 this month,” he told reporters during a press conference with Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob at a hotel here earlier today.
Meanwhile, Ismail said this two-in-one package would settle the missing link between Kapit and Ngemah once and for all and is expected to be completed within three years.
He said this was one of many efforts realised thanks to the establishment of a joint committee between the federal government through his ministry and the state government through the Ministry for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development, helmed by Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
“Today the joint committee meets. The committee consists of the federal side chaired by me, and Sarawak side chaired by Uggah. The committee meets twice a year.
“In the committee there is also a task force which will go down to the ground to implement and monitor all projects being carried out in Sarawak,” he told the press conference.
During the morning session of the meeting, he said he was briefed by several departments on the needs of the state particularly on rural development. He said through the joint committee, his ministry together with the state government will make sure that all immediate needs of the rural areas will be noted down and solutions drawn promptly.
Some of the immediate needs include basic infrastructure like electricity, water and rural road connectivity, added Ismail.
“Last year, some RM1.06 billion has been allocated to Sarawak for its rural development projects. This year, nine of the projects have been completed while the remaining 72 are being implemented. These includes rural electricity and water connectivity (projects), and rural road connectivity,” he said.
Meanwhile, Uggah revealed that presently, Sarawak has 90 per cent electricity grid coverage and 61 per cent treated water coverage.
“We hope by 2025 we can achieve 100 per cent treated water supply coverage all over the state, and by 2030 100 per cent coverage overall including electricity grid, treated water grid and rural road connectivity,” he said. — DayakDaily
