SEBUYAU, Jan 21: The tender for the 5.1km Batang Lupar bridge will be opened in the first quarter of this year.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the RM1 billion project is still at the design stage and is fully funded by the state government.
He pointed out that the state government has to continue with the project to benefit the people living along coastal areas and the public in general.
“The state government is continuing with the project and the tender will be opened in the first quarter of this year on an open-tender,” he stressed.
Awang Tengah disclosed this when presenting compensation to land owners affected by the bridge project as well as Sebuyau New Township for residential areas.
The event at Dewan Pembangunan Sebuyau also saw the presentation of land titles to residents of Kpg Seberang Sebuyau, a Malay traditional village.
Awang Tengah also emphasised the state government has to pay the whole cost of the project because Pakatan Harapan (PH) disagreed with 50-50 per cent cost sharing as agreed during the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.
He also said the tender for the road leading to the bridge project was issued last year.
Meanwhile, about RM8.5 million was paid out to the land owners, which are RM5.3 million for those affected by the bridge project and RM3.2 million for those affected by Sebuyau New Township.
For the Kpg Sebarang Sebuyau traditional village, 97 titles were issued.
Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development reiterated that the government never has the intention to take away people’s land.
Instead, he pointed out that the state government will continue to survey native customary rights (NCR) land under Section 6 and Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code.
He gave assurance the surveying of NCR land which started since the 60’s will continue.
Similarly, rural area development will also continue, he added.
Also present was Assistant Minister of Ports Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi. — DayakDaily
