KUCHING: The completion of the State’s second trunk road that links the populations in the rural areas will help to boost the State economically.
According to Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, more than 60 per cent of Sarawak’s population reside between Kuching and Sibu, with three clusters namely Kuching-Samarahan, Sri Aman-Betong, and Sibu-Sarikei being the main population centres, which are linked by the Pan Borneo Highway.
“With the completion of the second trunk road, travelling time will be greatly reduced as the road travelled based on kilometres will be greatly shortened, and the proposed second trunk road will be passing through the same bridges (Batang Sadong, Batang Lupar, Batang Saribas and Sungai Krian) currently being proposed under the Coastal Road Network,” said Masing during the State Legislative Assembly sitting, held at the State Legislative Assembly building in Petra Jaya, yesterday.
He added the construction of the proposed second trunk road will be divided into two packages namely, Package A from Samarahan, Roban and Sibu of about 200 kilometres in length, while Package B is from Sebuyau, Sri Aman and Betong which will be around 94 kilometres in length
Masing also noted that while it is difficult to precisely measure the gains from construction of a new infrastructure, it should be obvious that the second trunk road will contribute in terms of cost saving and opening up of areas which were previously inaccessible for development.
He said while the coastal road from Sibu to Kuching is approximately 303km, the second trunk road will shorten the length by 100km.
“While previously it would have taken us about five hours to drive from Kuching to Sibu, with the completion of the second trunk road, the travelling time would be greatly reduced to only two hours 30 minutes.
“That is a huge travel-time saving for our people, goods and vehicles. Gain in economic productivity and in the development of idle land into productive assets might mean that the return in the long run is more than what we think,” Masing said.
Meanwhile, he also disclosed that the federal government has approved an amount of RM150 million for the construction of the 9.6km missing link from Nanga Ngemah to Nanga Temalat.
He said the allocation will include the 5.1km road by-passing Nanga Ngungun resettlement Scheme.
“With the completion of the missing link, the road users can drive from Kanowit to Kapit, and for the first time in 54 years since independence, Kapit is connected by road to the rest of Sarawak.
“No longer will Kapit be an island within the island of Borneo. Therefore, the people of Kapit give thanks to the 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for making this possible,” he said.
