SARIKEI: The Sarawak government has named the newly completed third Batang Rajang Bridge as Jambatan Tun Datuk Patinggi Tuanku Haji Bujang Bin Tuanku Haji Othman, in honour of the late former Head of State.
The announcement was made by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas during the bridge’s inauguration ceremony, where he described the naming as a fitting tribute to a man who played a pivotal role in Sarawak’s governance and political development.
“Tuanku Bujang, born in Sibu in 1898, served as the second Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak from 1969 to 1977. He began his career in the Sarawak Civil Service in 1934 and demonstrated excellent dedication and leadership.
“After retiring from civil service, he became active in politics. He was one of the founding members of the Barisan Ra’ayat Jati Sarawak (BERJASA), and was involved in the merger of BERJASA and the Parti Negara Sarawak (PANAS) to form Parti Bumiputera in 1968,” he said in his speech during the event here today (May 17).
Uggah said the bridge, which spans 1.44 kilometres across Sungai Rajang, was built using balanced cantilever technology and includes a navigation channel 120 metres wide and 26 metres high, enabling large vessels to pass through without obstruction.
“More significantly, the bridge reduces travel distance between key towns from 120 km to 52 km, and travel time from nearly 2.5 hours to under an hour — greatly benefiting residents of Sarikei, Pasi, Bintangor, and Tanjung Manis.
“The impact of this bridge goes far beyond connectivity. It improves road safety, enhances emergency response times, strengthens family and community bonds, and supports economic activities by making it easier for farmers, breeders, and fishermen to market their produce,” said Uggah.
He added that the bridge also boosts access to the Tanjung Manis Port, positioning it as a more efficient export and import hub for agricultural and industrial products from Central Sarawak.
“This is part of the Sarawak Government’s larger infrastructure agenda under the Sarawak Coastal Road Network and the Second Trunk Road, stretching 900 km from Lundu to Miri. The RM11 billion initiative aims to connect rural communities to urban centres without relying on ferry services.
“This reflects our strong commitment to ensuring rural communities are no longer left behind in our development journey,” he said.
