By DayakDaily Team
DARO, Nov 7: Once bare land with no houses, Pulau Bruit has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past 10 to 12 years, with new homes, roads and bridges reshaping its landscape and improving connectivity for local communities.
Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he witnessed the changes firsthand when he revisited the area, having last visited around 2013 or 2014 while serving as Deputy Housing Minister.
“At that time, this area (now the RGC Semop housing development) was completely empty. There was only land, without a single house. That was why, when I arrived by helicopter earlier, I saw that the area was now filled with houses.
“So much has changed over a period of perhaps 10 to 12 years,” he said when officiating at the Pulau Bruit Festival 2026 here today, as reported by TVS.
Abdul Karim said the transformation extended beyond housing, with major infrastructure projects such as the Batang Lassa Bridge and Batang Paloh Bridge now connecting Pulau Bruit to the mainland.
The provision of electricity and other basic amenities also reflected the government’s continued efforts to improve the living standards of local communities.
However, he acknowledged that bringing development to remote areas such as Pulau Bruit remained challenging due to their distance from major towns.
He explained that development typically begins in urban centres before gradually expanding to suburban areas, meaning rural and remote communities often require greater attention and effort to enjoy similar progress.
As such, he stressed that committed and effective leadership was essential to ensuring development reached communities beyond urban centres.
“For any change to take place, it cannot happen overnight, especially when the area is relatively remote.
“Without someone driving the effort behind it, development would be difficult,” he said.
Also present was Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and UKAS) Datuk Abdullah Saidol. — DayakDaily
