By Emily Ruran
ASAJAYA, May 9: Plans for an elevated highway, a new international airport and an offshore port are set to drive a major transformation across Samarahan over the next five to 10 years.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the developments will span several key areas including Asajaya, Sebuyau, Muara Tuang, Simunjan, Stakan and Sadong Jaya.
“The landscape here will change,” he said when officiating the BeliaGoBiz@Asajaya 2026 programme at the Asajaya Sports Complex today.
He said the proposed elevated highway is designed to overcome challenges posed by peat soil conditions, where conventional road structures tend to deteriorate within a short period.
The route is expected to link Kampung Tambey to Sebuyau and Gedong, before extending towards coastal areas between Kampung Sambir and Kampung Sebandi, ultimately connecting to a proposed offshore port off Asajaya.
The Asajaya assemblyman added that a new international airport is also in the pipeline, with part of the project site located within the Asajaya district. He said land acquisition is already in progress, with compensation being disbursed to affected landowners.
He added that the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system will link Gedong, Kampung Rembus and Kuching, and connect the new airport to the existing Kuching International Airport, which is expected to handle domestic flights.
He said the setup will function similarly to the dual-airport system in Kuala Lumpur, where international arrivals land at the new airport before transferring via ART to the current airport for domestic connections.
“Give it three to five years, this will become a reality. That is the outlook for Samarahan,” he said.
Also present were Samarahan MP and Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Dato Rubiah Wang, Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, Batang Sadong MP Rodiyah Sapiee, and MYSED secretary-general Dzulkornain Masron. — DayakDaily
