Dr Rundi: Ministry of Utilities’ greatest challenge is funding

KUCHING: The most challenging issue faced by the newly gazetted Ministry of Utilities comes in the form of funding as it will need billions of ringgit to implement three major components; namely, the gas distribution grid system, water grid system and communication infrastructure.

Its minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi said in facing such daunting task, the ministry would implement these mega projects in stages.

“Funding will be our major challenge. But, we will look for the money from both the state and federal governments. Our target is to put them in place by 2030. By then Sarawak will be a developed state and we can expect the vast majority of our people will have access to these utilities,” he told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

He said the implementation of these three components would start simultaneously, albeit, in stages.

“For the additional 3,800 towers that need to be built, we plan to complete them within the next three to five years, even though we already have the allocation from the state government,” said Dr Rundi.

He said he had to work closely with the project implementers as directed by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg who is determined to gear Sarawak into the digital economy.

Currently, the average wired network speed for Sarawak is four megabits per second ( Mbps) per household which is nearly seven times slower than South Korea’s average network speed of 29 Mbps per household.

Abang Johari had stated on numerous occasions that he was determined to provide not only fast speed internet network for the urban folk but also those in the rural areas to ensure they would not be at a disadvantage.

On the state’s water master plan, Dr Rundi said it would need at least RM8.7 billion to implement in the next 13 years.

“It’s going to be implemented under the Eleventh and Twelfth Malaysia Plan because it’s going to be a massive exercise as it will involve the implementation of the whole water grid system throughout the state.”

As for the gas distribution grid system, Dr Rundi said his ministry would need at least RM5 billion to implement it.

“We will start with the two cities and major towns and slowly going to the suburbs and smaller towns,” he said.

Dr Rundi was explaining his new job scope as his ministry has been changed from the Ministry of Rural Electricity and Water Supply to Ministry of Utilities, which was gazetted on Monday.

There are seven departments and agencies under the ministry, namely, State Water Authority; Water Supply Authorities which include Water Boards and Statutory Water Companies; Sarawak Water Resources Management Council; Rural Water Supply Department; Sarawak Energy Berhad; Office of the Director of Electricity Supply and Office of the Director of Gas Supply.