All-round clamour for improved air, road connectivity to rural areas

MIRI: Sarawak is dire need of improved Rural Air Service and a good road network in the rural areas for greater connectivity and accelerated overall development.

It is also for greater safety of road users, as evidenced by an accident on Wednesday at a logging road, involving three reporters from Miri for the Pesta Nukenan Bario which highlighted the danger faced everyday by those using such road.

The scenario is totally different from the usual traffic system whereby trucks laden with timber logs are given priority when approaching bends along the hills by allowing them to use the inner lane of the road.

When interviewed, State Legislative Assembly deputy speaker Gerawat Gala, Rurum Kelabit Sarawak ( RKS) president Dr Philip Raja and several other members of the public called for the government and authorities to place greater emphasis on improving roads and air connectivity in rural Sarawak.

Gerawat said many places, especially in northern and central Sarawak including his constituency of Mulu, still have a poor road network, some with logging roads while others are not accessible by road.

Currently, he added, the RAS provided by MASwings is serving six rural destinations with Twin Otter aircraft - Bario, Long Banga, Long Seridan and Long Lellang in Mulu constituency besides Ba Kelalan and Long Akah. “This shows how difficult it is to go to my constituency and MASwings is an essential service provider to link these destinations and many others not accessible by road.

“RAS is not just about the community but also part of the government’s means to deliver services to the people, besides promoting the tourism attractions in the areas,” said Gerawat on Wednesday after sending off passengers on the first chartered flight to Bario in conjunction with the three- day Pesta Nukenan Bario.

Also present were MASwings chief executive officer Aminuddin Zakaria and the airline’s head of commercial operations, Shauqi Ahmad, and Dr Philip.

Gerawat singled out the difficulty faced by the people wanting to join the festival due to poor air and road connectivity as among the good reasons why RAS should be intensified.

Besides that, he said it was high time the government considered extending the Bario airport runway to cater for bigger aircraft like ATR in view of the increasing traffic.

He added although he was greatly relieved that MASwings could still make available five chartered flights for the festival though 16 flights were approved.

He regretted that unlike last year and the previous years since the festival started in 2006, all additional flights were subsidised by the government.

Because of that, he said each passenger had to pay a hefty RM600 return flight instead of RM250 if the fare was subsidised.

In concurring with Gerawat, Dr Philip said the Pesta Nukenan (Kelabit Food and Cultural Festival) is one of the efforts of the Kelabit community to promote their rich heritage and tourism products.

“The festival has become an iconic event in Bario since it was first started in 2006 and had attracted an average of 1,000 visitors annually and last year about 2,000 came including foreign tourists. But because of the lack of flights, many decided to give it a miss,” he said.

RKS is the organiser of the Nukenan Bario annual food and cultural festival of the Kelabits which will end on Saturday.

Lee Cheng Choi from the See Hua Daily News, who was among the three reporters and a driver involved in the accident on their way to Bario Nukenan, also urged the government to seriously help in building good roads in rural Sarawak.

“Although accidents happen, whether in highway or logging road, travellers face greater danger on logging roads as only good four-wheel drive vehicles and experienced drivers can make such journey.

“I am still traumatised although thankfully all four of us were not badly injured in the accident when our vehicle overturned and went down 100 metres into the ravine. I hope the government will improve the road and provide more flights for RAS,” said Lee.

Jok Eng Jok, the secretary of the Long Bedian Development and Security Committee of one of the remote villages in Baram, said a good road network is a catalyst for development.

“Our village once received the national model village award and was well known internationally. But until today, few visitors come to our homestay and resort primarily due to the poor road system.

“Our hope is for the federal government to allocate more development funds for Sarawak to build roads and treat us as equal partners,” said Jok.

Tan Wei Kheng, a renowned local artist and selfless volunteer who joined both local and international non- governmental organisations helping the rural Penans in Miri and Limbang divisions, also wanted the government to build good roads including upgrading the logging roads in Sarawak.

“It is very sad to see these rural folks, including the Penans, living in abject poverty having to travel through jungles and streams to reach the nearest towns and schools.

“With some financial assistance from the former Deputy Education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim, I made at least six trips every year bringing Penan students from villages in Seridan to secondary schools in Marudi and back during holidays and festivals.

“Good roads and better public transport is the long term solution to these poor Penans to obtain good education and quality life,” stressed Tan.

Meanwhile, Aminuddin assured that his airline would look into the requests, adding that with Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) finalising soon a study on the rationalisation of RAS in Sabah and Sarawak, flight frequency could be increased for areas badly needing the service.