By William Isau
SIBU, May 3: The proposed project for the new RM70 million Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) building will only commence once the Bukit Assek Redevelopment Master Plan has been completed.
According to Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing, and Local Development Sarawak Datuk Michael Tiang, this is because the project needs careful planning.
“We are waiting for Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg’s master plan for the Bukit Assek redevelopment project.
“Everything will have to coordinate with the redevelopment plan’s master plan,” he said to reporters at SMC’s Santai Raya celebration at the Islamic Complex last night (May 2).
The building, which would be a new landmark of the town, will be equipped with various facilities, including lecture theatres, meeting rooms, utility bill counters, and staff offices.
Meanwhile, Tiang urged the council to promote the town further, seeing that the Pan Borneo highway would be fully completed by next year.
With that, he envisaged that the town would become the hub for logistics and road transportation in Sarawak.
“SMC needs to do more planning on this aspect so that Sibu can be the road transportation hub and logistic hub to serve Sarawak’s development,” he said.
Tiang also stressed the importance of preparing Sibu to accommodate the expected influx of tourists, especially with the introduction of a new flight from Singapore by Scoot starting in June this year.
“So, Sibu also needs to position itself so that the town can be a wonderful place to welcome tourists, and this will be a new challenge for Sibu,” he added.
Tiang expressed hope that SMC would exert greater effort in formulating new policies and boosting promotional activities while collaborating closely with residents.
Also present were Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Alice Lau, SMC chairman Clarence Ting, and SMC deputy chairman Mohammed Abdullah Izkandar Roseley. — DayakDaily
