MIRI – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has assured Sarawak that Putrajaya is committed to fulfilling the state’s needs in critical areas such as highway construction, poverty eradication and coping with rising living costs.
On the Pan Borneo Highway, he said the first phase from Kuching to Miri would be completed by the first quarter of next year, after which, the second phase connecting Sarawak to Sabah bypassing Brunei would commence.
“We are committed in making sure the first phase of the Pan Borneo Highway upgrading (linking Kuching to Miri) will be completed in the first quarter of 2023.
“This phase costing RM16.1 billion is already 85% finished.
“Phase 2 to link Sarawak with Sabah bypassing Brunei will link Miri to Limbang to Lawas and onwards to Sabah without passing through Brunei.
“That will involve building a 326km highway route from Miri to the interior and to Limbang.
“Allocation of RM7.68 billion have been approved for that project.
“The whole highway will play crucial role in transforming the socioeconomic life of Sarawak and Sabah,” Ismail Sabri said today when closing the Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia carnival in Petra Jaya near Kuching.
On eradicating hardcore poverty, he said Putrajaya knows the vital needs of Sarawak and Sarawakians.
The federal government via Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) funds have already helped 867,967 lower-income people living in Sarawak, he said, adding that RM745 million was allocated for BKM in Sarawak alone.
“We have also selected numerous localities in this state to be given specific attention to eradicate poverty.
“Four districts have been chosen already to start the programme. They are Gedong, Sebuyau, Pakan and Spaoh,” he said.
Ismail Sabri also pointed out that up to 500,000 Sarawakians in rural areas are already benefiting from the subsidised price stabilisation schemes implemented by the federal ministries.
“We have allocated RM200 mil to subsidise the transportation of essentials like food and fuel into rural Sarawak.
“That helps to mitigate the increasing costs of essentials to balance the price in rural areas with cities and towns,” he said.
Federal authorities are also looking at current issues of flood mitigation in areas which face frequent flooding, he added.
Later this afternoon, Ismail Sabri will fly to Miri and symbolically declare the opening of the Pujut-Permyjaya flyover that was recently completed.
That flyover is also part of the Pan Borneo Highway package.
It serves a population of some 100,000 people living in the Kuala Baram district, linking them with the 250,000 plus residents living in the Miri city centre.
All of these are part of the effort to help Sarawak achieve its target of being a developed state by 2030, the prime minister added.
Part of this will be providing the state with comprehensive broadband access through a RM4.09 billion allocation under the 12th Malaysia Plan. – The Vibes, August 7, 2022
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