ALL development projects implemented under the Greater Kuching Coordinated Development Agency (GKCDA) within the Opar constituency should have their implementation processes simplified.
Opar Assemblyman, Billy Sujang, said such projects face difficulties in implementation because they require land-siting approval and clearance from the State Planning Authority (SPA).
These include projects such as the upgrading of paddy fields, construction of agricultural roads, installation of gravity-fed piping systems, house-to-house road paving, installation of village streetlights, construction of multipurpose halls, building of concrete bridges, and development of facilities for tourism activities.
He added that many of these projects have been eagerly anticipated by villagers, who were excited and happy upon hearing that the long-awaited projects had finally been approved at the end of 2023.
“For example, to build a multipurpose hall in a village at a cost of RM450,000, it still cannot be implemented because siting approval is required – even though the hall is to be built on village land voluntarily donated in writing by the villagers themselves for this purpose.
“Can the procedures used for the implementation of Rural Transformation Projects (RTP) be applied in this case?
“We want these projects to be delivered quickly for the people because, after waiting two years since approval, nothing has been built.
“As elected representatives, we are accused of making empty promises, even though the funds for the project are already available under the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and overseen by GKCDA,” he said when proposing a motion of appreciation for the TYT’s address during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.
Billy also appealed to the relevant agencies to allow the implementation of such projects based solely on a letter of consent from the landowners for building multipurpose halls and a right-of-way letter for the construction of agricultural roads and gravity-fed piping systems.
