By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Aug 18: The ‘squatting’ times for Laku Management Sdn Bhd (Laku) will soon end with its headquarters’ office expected to be completed in June, 2023 at Bukit Selatan, Miri.
Laku chairman Datuk Nelson Balang Rining said the Head Office will serve as the corporate centre where important functions are coordinated and is expected to house approximately 200 employees, including the Board of Directors and the Management team.
Once completed, the L-shaped and eight-storey building will sit on the high-elevated ground of Bukit Selatan where the building can be viewed from the sea.
In conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony of Laku Head Office today, Balang reminisced about the company’s 26-year history, when Laku was incorporated on June 7, 1995 after it entered into a concession agreement with the State government for the production, distribution of portable water and collection of water revenue in the Northern urban townships of Miri, Bintulu and Limbang.
“It commenced operation on Jan 1, 1996 taking over the above responsibilities from JKR (Public Works Department. On Jan 1, 2014, similar responsibilities were extended to Samalaju.
“The journey has not been easy, but over the past several years we managed to pull through a number of tough events including the current Covid-19 pandemic.
“Thanks to the guidance and support from the Sarawak government, Laku’s financial performance has been stable in recent years,” he said.
Complimenting Laku’s achievement, he pointed out that the daily water supply to Miri, Bintulu and Limbang today is 385 millions of litre per day (MLD) compared to 259 MLD 10 years ago.
In the near future, Balang said Laku foresees an increasing water demand especially in Samalaju with the emergence of several new plants including the Wenan Steel Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB)’s hydrogen plant.
Meanwhile, he expressed appreciation to the State government for continuously funding Laku’s projects including the RM24 million Bukit Selatan Reservoir for its 27 million litres reinforced concrete reservoir with inlet and outlet chambers, 6,170 metres of steel pipeline, external works such as roads, car parks, surface drainage, slope protection, and related mechanical and electrical works.
Beginning July 7, 2018, the reservoir was constructed by Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) and completed last month in July.
“This reservoir serves as a balancing tank to improve water supply and serve the increasing population of Miri City, Jalan Luak Bay and Jalan Tanjong Lobang areas.
“It increases the storage capacity of portable water in Miri City from the current 42 million litres to 69 million litres,” he said at the groundbreaking ceremony of Laku Head Office and official handing over of Bukit Selatan Reservoir to Laku at Bukit Selatan here today.
The ceremony for both groundbreaking and handover was witnessed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Among those present for the ceremony were also Utilities Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion. — DayakDaily
