KUCHING: About 58 bridges are now under construction under Sarawak’s Rural Bridge Transformation Programme to improve access and safety in remote communities.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the programme primarily addressed problematic crossings in the interior, including those along former logging roads.
He said some of these routes still relied on ageing timber or log bridges that created difficulties for the communities using them.
“We have the Rural Bridge Transformation Programme for interior areas facing problems, especially along former logging roads where some bridges are still made of logs.
“About 58 smaller bridges are now under construction. They may not be mega bridges, but they are important to the communities there,” he said after officiating at the Sejingkat Bridge stitching ceremony here today (Aug 17).
The programme involves 122 rural bridge projects statewide, with RM396 million allocated to replace old or damaged wooden structures with safer and more durable bridges, as announced during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting in December last year.
It also covers the construction of new links to strengthen connectivity in areas where rural roads serve as the principal routes for residents.
The latest figure indicates that construction has expanded since May this year, when 52 bridges were reported to be under construction.
Earlier updates showed that the programme had reached several divisions, with projects previously tendered or implemented in Kuching, Serian, Kapit, Miri, Sibu and Sarikei.
Among the most substantial allocations is more than RM80 million for 50 bridge projects in the Telang Usan and Mulu constituencies.
Of these, 28 projects in Telang Usan were allocated RM36.14 million, while 22 projects in Mulu received RM44.33 million.
Many of the projects in these areas are intended to replace damaged log bridges and improve routes that were formerly constructed for logging operations but have since become essential links for rural settlements.
The programme complements Sarawak’s construction of major bridges, with 11 completed so far and the Sejingkat Bridge expected to become the 12th when it opens on Oct 1.
