SEMATAN: The Teluk Melano-Sematan stretch of the Pan Borneo Highway project was launched yesterday with a grand ceremony which took place on-site at both ends of the said road.
The launching ceremony saw 2,000 odd crowd entertaining themselves with songs and dances coupled with games while waiting for the dignitaries to arrive.
In the meantime, New Sarawak Tribune took the opportunity to speak with the locals and visitors at the event to get their take on the occasion.
Edmond Galau, an Iban from the nearby Kampung Pueh Sematan, was very thankful to the government for completing the project for the people.
The retired police officer also served in the area in his final years of service in the force.
Edmond then explained that it was very costly and difficult to access the villages in Telok Melano and Telok Serabang when he was in the force.
“We had to limit our rounds to the villages to just once a month. Now, I’m delighted that the villages will have more regular patrols at the area due to better accessibility.
“It can cost up to RM600 just for petrol and sometimes due to the rough weather and other causes, our boats sometimes get stalled at sea, so it was dangerous and costly for the force then but now I think it will be much easier,” he said.
However, he cautioned that there would be an influx of Indonesians to the area due to its proximity to the border and requested that the government beef up on immigration and increase the number of customs officers in the area to help the police.
Awang Harris, who came from Lawas, was present to witness the completion of the road.
“I came to see for myself because this is the beginning and Lawas will be the end of the Sarawak part of the Pan Borneo Highway.
“I think all Sarawakians are as excited as I am. I just can’t wait for the Lawas part to be completed as well,” he said.
Awang is no stranger to Lundu and Sematan but has never had the opportunity to visit Telok Melano.
“I will be visiting Teluk Melano and Tanjong Datu for the first time. I heard it is beautiful there,” he said.
Kabel Ahim, 57, an officer serving in the Ministry of Defence and a resident of Lundu was also excited and a proud man.
He was equally appreciative of both the state and federal governments for continuing Tok Nan’s mission to build the road.
“As children of Sarawak we must all support the new state coalition that has set a clear agenda to help Sarawakians achieve a developed status by 2030.”
He explained that it used to take five to six hours by boat from Lundu to Telok Melano and cost up to RM60 per person for a one-way trip.
With the new road, he anticipated that more tourists would be visiting the place and it would help the locals who are in tourism-related businesses.
Frank Hynen, 69, from Holland was born in Kalimantan and has been travelling to Telok Melano and Tanjung Datu since 1999.
He explained that the area was his favourite place to visit whenever he was in Sarawak and he had also brought with him other tourists to visit the area via boats from Sematan.
Frank, who now lives in Sarawak as his second home, was thrilled that he could now ride his scooter there with ease and planned to visit as often as he could.
“Tourists may prefer to take the boat the first time just for the experience and thrill of the ride, but now they can go back by road so it is possible for them to have more time to visit more places in and around the area.”
