KUCHING, May 10: Minister for Public Health, Housing, and Local Government Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has raised delivery issues concerning the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak and the Sewerage Services Department Sarawak during a courtesy call to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change (MNRECC) in Putrajaya.
Dr Sim, who is also the Deputy Premier of Sarawak, met up with MNRECC minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and MNRECC deputy minister Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii to discuss the issues.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change was formed by the merger of two Federal Ministries with 28 agencies. Two of the agencies are associated with my portfolio,” Dr Sim said in a Facebook post yesterday.
He emphasised that the delivery issues in Sarawak’s DID were related to the Issuance Notice of Change (NOC) for Pembangunan Lembangan Sungai Sarawak (PLSB) projects as well as the approved RM150 million in 2018 which increased in cost due to Covid-19, the allocation of RM1.6 billion for RTB Kuching Phase 2 (VE Lab April 2023), and the proposed RM778 million for RTB Kuching Phase 3 which he hopes to bring forward to RMK-12 RP3.
Additionally, there are wish lists for other projects, including coastal protection, which amounts to approximately RM6.5 billion.
“YB Minister Nik Nazmi is so gracious explaining the NOC, which is due to a change in government.
“He will bring this matter to the attention of the Minister of Finance and Minister of EPU in cabinet tomorrow, instead of malicious politicking or cheap publicity.
“Truly refreshing and reflecting sincerity in working together and getting things done,” he added.
Furthermore, Dr Sim highlighted that the Sarawak Sewerage Services delivery issues that were raised were the need to centralise sewerage connection coverage (15 per cent compared to the national target of 80 per cent); upgrading of the Public Sewerage System in Bintulu and the Federal funding of 17 projects totaling RM1.5 billion since 2008, which needs to be scaled up quickly. — DayakDaily
