The Cabinet Committee on Rural Transformation has already identified, proposed and implemented various initiatives as intervention measures to speed up the provision of basic utilities and amenities in the rural areas of Sarawak.
According to Deputy Chief Minister YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee, an allocation of RM325.3 million has been approved to implement 297 “low-hanging fruit” projects this year.
He said this in his winding-up speech during the First Meeting of the Second Term of the 18th State Legislative Assembly, on 19th May.
YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James, who is also Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation, explained these projects were the initial intervention measures to reduce the gaps in infrastructure and amenities between the rural and urban areas in the State.
“The implementation of these rural-based, people-centric projects is progressing well and expected to improve the quality of life of the rural population,” he said.
In 2016 and early 2017, the following projects have been implemented or were under implementation;
- Completion of 20 new schools (eight IBS and 12 conventional method), and upgrading of 108 schools;
- Replacement of 42 schools using IBS, connection of 61 schools to electricity grid, while connection of 34 schools to treated water supply is on-going and to be completed end of 2017;
- Completion and upgrading of three hospitals and one clinic, while construction of three new hospitals still on-going in 2017;
- Completion of the upgrade of 213.4 kilometres of ex-logging roads and another 108.84 km to be completed this year;
- Completion of 71 rural water supply projects;
- Completion of 184 RES projects, 43 SARES projects, and 30 hydro projects;
- Improvement works of 114 flood prone areas, some of which were in advanced planning stage; and
- Completion of 438 telecommunication towers, 194 small-scale structures, 103 ‘1Malaysia Internet Centres’ (PI1M), 107 ‘1Malaysia People’s Cable System’ (SK1M), and 4,104 ports in 53 ‘Suburban Broadband’ (SUBB).
