BEKENU, Aug 15: The new Bekenu booster station at Tiris, where construction was delayed due to Movement Control Order (MCO), is expected to be completed and commissioned in three months’ time.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan pointed out that the project which includes a high-level water tank will address the water woes due to low pressure in villages of Kuala Sibuti, Tiris, Sulap Lada, Kelulit, Saeh, Terahad, and the Immigration Depot in Bekenu here.
“Due to MCO, the implementation of the project has been delayed a bit. However, the contractor and Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) have agreed to complete the booster station and commissioned it in three months’ time.
“The booster station is important to address the water woes due to low pressure in this town. With the booster station, we hope it can overcome and rectify the problem of low water pressure,” he told reporters after a visit to the project site in Tiris, here today.
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Infrastructure and Ports Development, revealed that the completion of the project, under the People’s Project costing RM14 million, has been revised to October 2021.
“Secondly, the rehabilitation work involving the installation of new pipes for water distribution costing RM26.9 million is expected to be completed in September this year.
“This completion of the high-level water tank however is expected to take a bit more time,” he added.
Awang Tengah pointed out that the state government has a comprehensive long term plan to solve problems related to water supply especially in the rural areas of Sarawak.
“There are many other projects for this area including in Lambir as well as to increase the capacity of water plants,” he assured.
In terms of electricity, he emphasised that Sarawak Energy is committed to enhancing the electricity supply capacity in the Bekenu and surrounding areas.
“We know there are blackout incidents and Sarawak Energy is aware and will work to strengthen electricity supply to this area.
“They are also implementing projects for new applications to be connected with electricity. Some already completed while some (applications are) still being investigated. All these are funded by the state government,” he explained.
On matters raised in the project briefings by agencies in Subis District Council, Awang Tengah urged Sarawak Energy to consider the requests of the community here to have streetlights installed along village roads in particular junctions.
As for the request for the second phase of Rural Transformation Centre (RTC), he said that the government will look into it, noting the importance of such centres in rural areas to cater to all the socio-economic activities as well as other services in this area.
“There are also proposals for a handicrafts centre to be set up so I think the RTP is apt to incorporate all these sectors. we will look into this request,” he added.
Assistant Minister for Women, Family and Childhood Development and Bekenu assemblywoman Rosey Yunus, Assistant Minister of International Trade and Industry, Industry Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni and Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat were present.—DayakDaily
