BINTULU: The Sarawak Government is accelerating the development of Samalaju Township by expanding essential infrastructure and social amenities to support the rapid growth of the Samalaju Industrial Park, which has emerged as an international industrial hub.
Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, said the development plan includes the provision of housing, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, sports and recreational amenities, as well as enhanced public utilities to meet the growing needs of residents and the workforce in the area.
He said the government is also increasing electricity supply capacity and constructing a new water treatment plant with a capacity of 200 million litres per day (MLD) as part of efforts to strengthen Samalaju’s infrastructure.
“We are also planning the development of Samalaju Township. This includes residential areas, educational facilities, sports and recreational amenities. At the same time, we have requested the federal government to prioritise the construction of a hospital in Samalaju,” he said when speaking at the launch of the Samalaju SME Cluster project here yesteraday (Monday, June 29).
Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, said the township’s development is crucial as Samalaju, located about 60 kilometres from Bintulu town, continues to expand rapidly into a world-class industrial hub with the presence of numerous multinational companies.
On a related matter, he said the Samalaju SME Cluster will complement the existing industrial ecosystem by creating more opportunities for local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to supply value-added products and services to companies operating in the industrial park.
He said the project will be developed in 10 phases over a 96.72-hectare site, with an estimated total cost of RM223 million.
“Phase 1 and Phase 2 have been completed at a cost of RM25.8 million, providing a total of 21 industrial lots,” he added.
Awang Tengah said that the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED) will implement the Samalaju Collaborative and Operational Readiness Engine for MSMEs (SCORE-MSME) programme to enhance the competitiveness of local MSMEs through vendor development, technology transfer, global certification, skills upgrading, and improved access to financing.
