‘Works on Ngemah-Temalat road project progressing well’

SIBU: Works on the 9.6km road connecting Ngemah in Kanowit District with Temalat in Song District is progressing steadily, and is expected to reach completion by August 2020.

It is the first of a two- phase project. The first phase kicked off in February this year, involving the construction of a road from Ngemah to Temalat.

The second phase will be the 5.1km Ngemah-Ngungun bypass.

According to Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak regional manager (central region) Cassidy Morris, the progress rate for the works on the NgemahTemalat stretch is currently at 4.24 per cent.

“We’re currently doing siteclearing and earthworks. This project ( phase) is scheduled to reach completion by Aug 19, 2020,” he told The Borneo Post via WhatsApp yesterday.

Cassidy, however, did not specify when Phase II would commence.

The whole two-phase project comprises the development of a 14.7km road – dubbed the ‘missing link’ – and is part of the RM711million Kapit/Song/Kanowit road project stretching 83km.

Kapit MP Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi had pointed out that the previous federal government allocated RM150 million meant to connect this ‘missing link’.

In his Facebook posting recently, Nanta said land clearing activities for the Phase I of the project commenced in March this year.

“The early stage of works included obtaining project approvals and allocation from the government, land surveying, cost calculations, land compensations, tender process and so on,” he said.