‘Population density criteria bad news for S’wak’

Julaihi (fourth left) seen with (from sixth left) Hasbi, Paulus and others at the foot of Bukit Kemau during the site visit.

LIMBANG: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government must urgently attend to the needs of rural folk in Sarawak who badly require basic facilities such as roads to connect urban and rural areas.

Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi said for the interior and coastal areas of Sarawak, the federal government should not take population density into account when it comes to constructing roads.

“The PH government must see that there is an urgent need to build more roads, especially to connect the rural inland and coastal areas. They should not only take into account the population density because Sarawak’s terrain is so vast compared to areas in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said during a working visit to the Ulu Tubai Mentawai/Gunung Buda road project here recently.

Julaihi added if the PH government chooses to give priority to densely-populated areas, Sarawak will not have the opportunity to get more federal allocation.

He pointed out the Sarawak government has strived to build more roads in both coastal and inland areas to connect remote settlements, as such linkages are important in improving the socio-economic status of the people, as well as opening land for both agricultural and livestock enterprises.

“The road networks and bridges currently constructed in these areas will not only change the landscape but will also act as a catalyst in uplifting the living standard of the people.”

Meanwhile, Julaihi said the construction of the 27km Ulu Tubai Mentawai/Gunung Buda road will improve connection to Gunung Buda, which has the potential to be a tourist attraction much like Gunung Mulu, adding that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg had recently approved RM130 million for the project.

Previously, those intending to visit Gunung Buda have to go through Kuala Mendalam by boat to get to Mentawai and Terikan before reaching the mountain.

Among those present with Julaihi during his site visit were Limbang MP Hasbi Habibollah, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport Development Anuar Da’an, and Public Works Department (JKR) engineer Noor Ismail Razali.