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By Karen Bong
KUCHING, June 13: A proposal for road connectivity along the northern bank of Batang Rajang is being planned as part of the extension of the federal road, which, when materialised, will complete the Kapit loop and enhance the accessibility of people in the central region of Sarawak.
Highlighting this, Federal Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the proposal is still in its early stages and pending agreement and approval from the Sarawak and Federal government before implementation.
“Batang Rajang is a huge river, and there is already a State road along the southern bank connecting Sibu to Kapit.
“However, the completed road also resulted in the stopping of express boat operations due to a decrease in passengers. This also adversely affected the people in the villagers, schools, rural clinics, and other facilities situated along the northern bank of Batang Rajang.
“If they want to travel out of the areas, they have to utilise private boats to cross the Batang Rajang and then transfer to vehicles to access the road on the southern bank. It was very inconvenient, and they have been complaining,” he told DayakDaily in an exclusive interview recently.
In light of these challenges, Nanta, who is also Kapit MP and Upper Rajang Development Agency (Urda) chairman, wasted no time in six months in the Ministry with the intention to initiate the project within his tenure to ensure accessibility, especially in Song District in the northern bank of Batang Rajang.
In fact, he shared that Ministry officers, along with local elected representatives from the Kapit constituency, the Resident, and district officers, had conducted a visit to make an assessment of the area in March for planning purposes.
He had also discussed with the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who have given the green light to initiate the planning.
“So now, I am devising a plan to connect (the proposed road) from the Pan Borneo Highway, from the Sibu-Durin stretch to Durin bridge with the existing road to Nibong Tadak, which cuts into Nanga Tada and Semaram.
“The Nanga Tada-Semaram road project was announced and approved in 2017, but implementation was disrupted following a change in government in 2018. Nonetheless, the project remains approved, and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi recently confirmed in Kapit that the road from Semaram to Nanga Beguang will be built,” he explained.
Nanta’s vision involves extending the federal road from the Sibu protocol road (airport) of the Pan Borneo Highway to Durin.
“From there, the road will traverse Tada and run along the northern bank of Batang Rajang, including Sungai Song, Sungai Melipis, Sungai Iran, Sungai Belawai, Sungai Ibau, and Sungai Menuan. We will build a bridge across Rajang to Kapit and also plan a bridge at Nanga Sungai Song leading to Song town.
“These road networks will eventually connect to Nanga Tulik, where the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development is currently constructing a road to Nanga Pelagus. This stretch will be linked to the Jiwa Murni road, extending all the way to Bakun and then merging with the federal road, ultimately reaching Bintulu.
“This is possible because it is an extension of the federal road. For that, I will use this concept,” he further said.
Acknowledging that construction will take time for such a project, Nanta remains resolute in his dedication to initiating the road connectivity project as he recognised the significance of facilitating the development in this region. — DayakDaily
