67 villages to have electricity

KOTA BELUD: A total of 67 villages in Kota Belud, Kota Marudu and Pitas will benefit from the Rural Electricity Supply (BELB) Programme which is expected to be completed this year, Sabah Rural Development Minister Ewon Benedick said.

He said, of the total, 28 villages were located in Kota Belud district, 23 villages in Kota Marudu and 16 villages in Pitas.

"All the BELB projects funded by the Ministry of Rural Development were begun since 2016 and 2017 and are now in the process of being completed, and the affected villages were identified by the District Offices.

"Some are ready and some villages are still in the process of implementation by appointed contractors," he said after hearing briefings from the Kota Belud, Kota Marudu and Pitas Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) branches at SESB Kota Belud Office yesteroday .

The briefing was by the Kota Belud SESB branch manager Muryatie Bend, SESB Kota Marudu branch manager Mohd Das Risin and SESB Pintas branch manager Sudirman Juma.

Ewon said he was seriously concerned about the delay in the completion of BELB projects, for example in Pitas, because the specifications were not certified by the state's authority, SESB and should be corrected by the implementing contractor.

Meanwhile, Ewon said 810 light units would be installed in 103 villages under village road lighting projects (LJK) in the three districts.

He said he would also discuss the needs of BELB, LJK, rural water supply, rural roads and the Poor People's Housing Programme with Rural Development Minister Rina Harun in the near future.