By Lian Cheng and Chris Bishop
KUCHING, Sept 12: The Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) will link up major tertiary institutions in Sarawak, including Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak, and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg promised that while developing Kuching, he took into consideration three factors, including an urban renewal programme, an efficient public transport system, and accessibility.
“ART will be able to provide access to universities including Unimas, UiTM, and Swinburne. It will also serve the heritage area and across the river to the other side, to Petra Jaya and Damai,” said Abang Johari at the Neu Pendington earth-breaking ceremony today.
On the public transport system, he said it must be a modern system, with nothing similar to the former Chin Lian Long buses, which emitted black smoke.
Chin Lian Long Bus Company was one of the earliest bus companies in Kuching, serving Satok to Bintawa (Pending area) to the old Marine Police Base. It had long merged with other bus companies with a new name and fleet of buses.
“That is why the Sarawak government decided to modernise public transport through ART using hydrogen, which does not give out black fumes and complies with the green movement.
“God willing, by 2027, Sarawak will produce hydrogen, the largest in this area (South East Asia). I just returned from Korea, and this project has been going on smoothly,” said Abang Johari, who added that public transport powered by green energy would provide a healthy living environment and thus good health and effective immunity against various diseases for Kuching residents.
On urban renewal, he said the Sarawak government is modernising the old downtown area, which will be redeveloped into contemporary urban sprawls that will reflect the culture and the way of life of people in Kuching but destinations of heritage value such as the Padungan area, including the Main Bazaar and its surrounding area, will be preserved.
On the Neu Pendington project, he said it is a strategic development that will change the landscape of Pending to a stage that Kuchingites will all be proud of. — DayakDaily
