PUJUT residents should not have to wait years for approved projects to reach the ground.
Pujut assemblyman, Adam Yii Siew Sang, said government agencies, local authorities and implementing bodies must improve efficiency, coordination and responsiveness, particularly in fast-growing urban areas such as Pujut.
He said residents wanted improvements that directly affected daily life, including better roads, efficient drainage systems, upgraded public amenities, reliable public transport, cleaner surroundings and safer neighbourhoods.
“Very often, the challenge is not the absence of policies, but the speed and effectiveness of implementation on the ground.
“Delays, poor coordination and slow responses can undermine public confidence when good policies are introduced,” he said in his debate speech on the motion of appreciation for the address by Head of State, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.
He stressed that planning remained important, but what mattered most was whether development genuinely improved the people’s quality of life.
Among the pressing concerns, he said, was flooding, which had become increasingly serious in recent years, especially during king tide and heavy rainfall.
He pointed out that climate change was one of the major contributing factors, with rising global temperatures leading to higher sea levels, more unpredictable weather patterns and more intense rainfall over shorter periods.
“As a result, urban drainage systems are often unable to cope with the sudden increase in water volume, especially in low-lying coastal areas such as certain parts of Miri.
“During king tide periods, the situation becomes even more critical as high sea levels reduce the effectiveness of drainage discharge systems, leading to flash floods and prolonged water stagnation in residential areas,” he said.
Following this, Yii requested more funds and resources for local councils and relevant agencies to carry out flood mitigation projects.
These, he added, included drainage upgrades, flood retention facilities, river maintenance works and long-term climate adaptation measures.
“Flood mitigation should no longer be viewed merely as a seasonal issue, but as an urgent long-term infrastructure priority in view of changing climate conditions,” he said.
On public safety, he proposed that the Sarawak Government consider expanding LED street lighting throughout Miri and eventually across Sarawak.
He said conventional streetlights in residential areas throughout Pujut had gradually been upgraded to LED streetlights through his Rural Transformation Programme funding initiatives over the past few years.
“The outcome has been very positive and encouraging. Residential areas are now significantly brighter, which has improved visibility and enhanced the sense of safety and comfort among residents at night.
“In addition, the use of LED lighting has also contributed to substantial energy savings, with electricity consumption reduced by approximately 50 per cent compared to conventional lighting systems,” he said.
He said the initiative improved the living environment while supporting energy efficiency and smarter urban infrastructure development.
He then raised delays in approved projects, saying one concern frequently brought up by the people was the long gap between federal project approval and implementation on the ground.
Yii cited the proposed upgrading of the roundabout in front of GK Supermarket at Pujut 3, Miri, as an example.
“The project, which involved upgrading the existing roundabout into a six-lane traffic light intersection, had received approval several years ago due to traffic congestion in the area. However, until today, the project has yet to commence,” he said.
To address such delays, Yii proposed that the Sarawak Government explore a mechanism where strategically important federal-approved projects could first be implemented or financed by the state government, with reimbursement or claims to be made from the federal government later.
He said a similar approach had been carried out for the repair and upgrading of schools and clinics in Sarawak, where the state government took the initiative to fund the projects first to avoid unnecessary delays affecting the people.
“I believe such an approach would greatly improve project delivery efficiency, accelerate implementation timelines, and most importantly ensure that development projects promised to the people can be delivered without prolonged delays,” he said.
Turning to the resettlement scheme in Pujut Corner, he said about 231 households had previously received approval letters from the Land and Survey Department for residential lots under the Skim Penempatan Semula Kampung Lusut.
“However, many affected residents are still facing practical difficulties and uncertainty over the implementation of the resettlement process,” he reiterated.
“Many recipients still did not know the exact location and boundary of the lots allocated to them, although approval letters had been issued since August 2025.”
He said there were also complaints that some allocated lots had been illegally occupied, including through the construction of structures and agricultural activities such as planting vegetables and fruit trees.
“This has created confusion and concern among the rightful recipients,” Yii added.
“Moreover, some allocated areas still lacked basic accessibility and infrastructure, with no proper access roads in most locations, while some areas were steep or unsuitable for immediate housing construction without further land improvement works.
“Many affected households were from lower-income groups and did not have the financial capacity to immediately build new houses and relocate, even after receiving land allocation.”
He urged the Land and Survey Department to give serious attention to the matter and strengthen the implementation process.
“Among the matters requiring consideration are expediting site verification and lot identification for recipients, resolving encroachment or overlapping occupation issues, improving basic infrastructure and accessibility to the allocated areas, and exploring suitable assistance schemes or phased support for low-income families to build their homes,” Yii concluded.
