BELAGA, Sept 7: A Japanese company has expressed interest to take all the floating logs, which had caused massive logjams along the rivers and impacted the environment and livelihood of the people near Bakun Dam, to be repurposed into products.
According to a news report by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas), Minister of Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said that this may be a solution to overcome the logjam problem in Sarawak.
“I had a discussion with YB (Datuk) Liwan Lagang (Deputy Minister of Telecommunication and Belaga assemblyman) about this problem and he recently said that a company from Japan is interested in taking the logs to turn them into products.
“More importantly, the Sarawak government is seriously concerned about the logjam issue which has led to the setting up of a special taskforce chaired by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan to find a solution to the problem,” he said.
The task force involves various government departments and agencies including the Transport Ministry, Sarawak Energy, Sarawak Rivers Board and Land and Survey Department in a joint effort to find solutions to the logjam problem.
He highlighted this during a community programme to expand river channel navigation at Uma Bato Bagi in Long Kebuho near Bakun Dam here yesterday (Sept 6).
Meanwhile, Lee said that his Ministry would intensify efforts to promote the use of river transportation.
“I had a discussion with YB Kennedy (Chukpai Ugon who is Murum assemblyman) earlier about how we will promote our rivers. How do we roll out our boat transport where they can function like buses in the city.
“We can carry passengers in boats from village to village. But this will need further discussion. It’s up to the YB (Chukpai) and local residents, and if possible, we can launch river transport similar to buses,” he explained.
For a short-term solution, Lee also announced a RM20,000 allocation to carry out joint river cleaning works.
Deputy Minister of Transport Dato Henry Harry Jinep, Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang and Ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Buckland Bangik were among those present. — DayakDaily
