By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 22: Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has rejected the suggestion that development projects are being carried out for electoral gain, saying development in Batu Kawa has continued regardless of election cycles.
“Look at Batu Kawa. We are constantly carrying out development.
“Election or no election, we do,” he said when asked whether development projects were being carried out in view of the upcoming Sarawak Election during a site visit to the Stampin Resettlement Scheme Flood Mitigation Project in Jalan Stampin Baru today.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, said much of the development in Batu Kawa had been completed over the past decade, with projects implemented progressively as funding became available.
“After five to 10 years, almost all the projects in Batu Kawa are done,” he said.
He explained that the slower pace of development was not because they did not want to complete projects faster, but because Sarawak had fewer financial resources at the time. As the State’s finances improved, more funding became available for development.
“It is not that we do not want to carry out development faster. A lot of people did not realise that Sarawak was poor 10 years ago. Now we are richer, and as the Premier (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg) always says, when we have money, we give it back to the people,” he said.
Dr Sim said development funding for Batu Kawa had increased from about RM300 million during his first five-year term as assemblyman to approximately RM900 million over the subsequent five years.
“The first five years, we were a bit inexperienced and had limited funds, as we say in Chinese, ‘bo lui’ (no money). In the second five years, as our income improved, we had more and more money.
“So all this development is a continuation, and everyone wants to get everything done straight away,” he said. — DayakDaily
