Uggah (second left), Mawan (right) and Friday (centre) inspect the project site
KUCHING (Dec 14): The Sarawak government has approved the RM247 million Link Road project linking the interior parts of Bukit Saban, Krian and Pakan state constituencies, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
The road construction project involving 20 kilometres (km) will branch out from the Pan Borneo Highway near Spaoh till Pakan and is expected to be fully completed by January 2027, he said.
Uggah, who is also the state Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development and Bukit Saban assemblyman, said this to the press during his visit to the project site on Tuesday.
Also accompanying him were Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and Krian assemblyman Friday Belik.
“The three of us are very happy that this link road project is now a reality and we would like to thank our Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for approving this project,” he said.
The project under the Second Trunk Road package, he said, would reduce travelling distance by up to 50km if compared to using the existing highway route between Betong and Sarikei.
“The construction on the new road is now 4.4 per cent or 44 days ahead of schedule, and this is very satisfactory. We hope the contractor can maintain the momentum.
“However, we will also try if we can get JKR (Public Works Department) to complete the road project by the end of 2026,” said Uggah.
“The department (JKR) and the three of us (Uggah, Mawan and Friday) will monitor the construction closely as this is a very important road to the folks living in the area,” he assured.
Adding on, he said the residents in the three constituents had been using ‘Jalan Sesco’ – an alternative access road built by the Sarawak Energy Supply Corporation for the purpose of erecting its transmission line towers – which is now impassable.
Mawan, who is also the advisor in the Office of the Premier of Sarawak (Food Industries, Commodities and Regional Development), expressed hope that the link road project would solve connectivity issues faced by those living in the interiors of the three constituencies.
Friday, meanwhile, was optimistic that the link road project would provide the much-needed impetus for the three constituencies’ further growth and development.
