Since its launch in 2018, the Additional Late Applicant Fund (ALAF) initiative, managed by the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication in collaboration with Sarawak Energy, has powered up nearly 14,500 households in rural Sarawak.
As part of the Sarawak government’s ‘Projek Rakyat’, the ALAF programme focuses on connecting newly constructed homes in villages and longhouses to the existing distribution network.
By covering the costs of establishing new single-phase electrical connections and extending the existing grid to reach these new homes, the ALAF initiative seeks to reduce the financial burden on new homeowners.
A recent project under the ALAF initiative is the Rumah Lampoh Anak Dana along Jalan Bintulu-Tatau, located in the Jepak constituency which comprises 44 households.
Datuk Dr. Haji Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Sarawak’s Deputy Minister for Utility and Telecommunication (Utility) officiated at a ceremony at Rumah Lampoh Anak Dana to mark the successful electrification of the households which included 19 households of Rumah Jungan Anak Mitoh, 14 households of Rumah Sam Anak Sumbang along with 16 personal residences in the surrounding area- all of which are now able to enjoy 24-hour access to reliable electricity.
In his speech, Datuk Dr. Haji Abdul Rahman said the state government have accelerated the delivery of rural electrification projects to ensure the provision of reliable and affordable electricity supply to the rakyat. This is also important to support growth in the rural areas.
“Since ALAF was implemented in 2018, a total of RM230 million has been allocated for the fund, benefiting 20,713 households. Of these, 14,348 households have been powered up and are now grid-connected. Another 5,366 households are in various stages of implementation while 999 households are in the survey stage,” said Datuk Dr. Haji Abdul Rahman.
For the three longhouses and personal residences in the surrounding areas, the ALAF project involves an investment of RM442,700, covering the installation of low-tension lines, high[1]tension lines, transformers and service lines.
ALAF applications are processed and implemented in phases. Sarawak Energy will subsequently engage consultants to conduct a survey and inspection for the eligibility of the listed applicants.
