KUCHING: A proposed glass bridge and the second phase of riverbank protection works in Kampung Rantau Panjang are expected to transform the Batu Kawa waterfront while improving connectivity between communities and addressing erosion issues.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the project would connect Kampung Rantau Panjang with the Batu Kawa Riverfront Park through a three-kilometre riverside promenade.
“The riverbank protection project in Kampung Rantau Panjang will be connected to the Batu Kawa Riverfront Park through a glass bridge, creating a scenic promenade of about three kilometres and linking the Malay villages along the river with Batu Kawa,” he said after visiting the site here yesterday (June 22).
Dr Sim, who is also Batu Kawah assemblyman, said the project would not only provide a recreational space for residents and visitors but also serve as a symbol of unity by connecting the predominantly Malay villages along the river with Batu Kawa’s historic Chinese township.
He explained that the Sarawak Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) will carry out temporary stabilisation works costing RM200,000 while studies and designs for the permanent second phase are being finalised.
The second phase involves an additional 500 metres of riverbank protection works and is expected to be tendered through an open bidding process by the end of the year.
He said many riverside villages across Sarawak are facing increasing risks of erosion and flooding due to climate change and changing river flow patterns.
He noted that the first phase, covering 450 metres, was awarded in 2019 for RM8.7 million but became a sick project during the Covid-19 pandemic due to rising construction costs. The project was retendered in 2022 for RM11.6 million and completed at the end of 2023.
He also thanked Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for approving a RM31 million ceiling allocation for the remaining 500 metres of riverbank protection works.
“While construction costs continue to rise, this investment is necessary to protect riverside communities, improve public amenities and strengthen connectivity between communities in Batu Kawa,” he said.
