KAPIT: This town’s future development could take inspiration from the Norwegian city of Bergen as the Sarawak government seeks to transform the interior town into an environmentally sustainable urban centre.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state government is reviewing Kapit’s local development plan after identifying similarities between the landscape of Kapit and Bergen, a city known for its sustainable development and environmental planning.
He said the idea emerged following his visit to Bergen, where he observed geographical features similar to those found in Kapit.
“I stayed in Bergen and found that its landscape resembled Kapit.
That was when I thought, why not we send people from Kapit to Bergen?” he said during the Sarawakku Sayang (SKS) programme here today (June 27).
Abang Johari said the state government subsequently sent a delegation from Kapit to Norway to study Bergen’s development model, while a Norwegian professor was later invited to Kapit to conduct studies and provide recommendations on the division’s future development.
He said the findings would contribute towards reviewing Kapit’s local plan, with the aim of developing the town into an environmentally sustainable and well-planned urban centre.
“We will review the local plan for Kapit and restructure it so that Kapit can become a sustainable township, similar to what has been developed in Norway,” he said.
Abang Johari said the state government plans to develop a sustainable “green township” on the opposite side of the river as part of Kapit’s long-term development plan.
“First, we have to build a bridge. Then we can develop a sustainable township, perhaps the first green township in this region,” he said.
Abang Johari said Kapit’s rapid transformation over the years had already changed perceptions of the once remote interior town, citing increasing traffic congestion, improved road connectivity and expanding infrastructure as indicators of growth.
Speaking later at a media conference, he said improved accessibility had accelerated Kapit’s development and created opportunities for further urban expansion.
“I was dreaming that one day this could become a reality, that Kapit will become something unique, eco-friendly, with organised traffic systems and sustainable buildings,” he said.
Meanwhile, Works Minister and Kapit MP Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi expressed hope that the knowledge and experience gained from the benchmarking visit to Norway could be adapted and implemented in Kapit.
The proposed sustainable development model is expected to encompass not only Kapit town but also surrounding areas within the division as part of the state’s long-term development agenda.
