By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 28: Telang Usan assemblyman Datuk Dennis Ngau has called on the Sarawak government to consider the construction of an over 100-kilometre road connecting Long Lama, Long Bemang, Long Watt, Long Atip, Long Bedian, Long Win, Long Bangan, and Long Terawen, linking communities in Apoh and Tutoh with more than 20,000 residents.
Dennis highlighted the significance of the recent Miri-Marudi-Mulu-Long Panai-Long Lama (MMMLL) road, launched by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Nov 15, 2025, as a model for how improved connectivity can transform remote and rural communities.
He noted that the MMMLL road, one of Sarawak’s largest interior infrastructure projects, replaces unreliable logging tracks and river routes, improving access for residents and opening new opportunities for eco-tourism, cultural tourism, and small businesses in the interior.
“Building the Long Lama–Long Terawen road is not merely about constructing routes; it is a matter of fairness, dignity, and equal opportunity for our people.
“For decades, these longhouses and villages have depended on timber tracks and rivers. Proper roads will encourage small businesses, handicrafts, food sales, homestays, and eco-tourism, helping sustain our culture while connecting communities across different ethnic groups,” he said when participating in the debate on the Sarawak Budget 2026 at the State Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting today.
The proposed road is estimated to cost slightly over RM1 billion, with construction expected to be feasible using existing logging road alignment.
Dennis emphasised that roads are the foundation for development, serving as essential links to healthcare, schooling, government services, and daily necessities.
He also urged the government to prioritise road improvements around the sub-district of Long Bedian, the administrative hub for Apoh, Tutoh, Layun, Patah, and Abang regions.
“Despite its importance, Long Bedian remains poorly connected, with unsafe and unreliable logging tracks that become impassable during the rainy season. For it to function effectively as a regional service hub, proper roads connecting over 30 longhouses and villages are urgently needed,” he stressed.
Dennis concluded that inclusive development in Sarawak must reach everyone, from coastal towns and semi-urban communities to the most remote longhouses.
“Let us build a Sarawak where development is not defined by geography but by unity, fairness, and shared progress,” he said. — DayakDaily
