Leon questions omission of budget for Sri Aman-Betong bridge

SRI AMAN: DAP Sri Aman branch is baffled that the State Budget 2019 has again left out proposal to have a bridge linking Sri Aman to Betong.

Its chairman Leon Jimat Donald said the bridge over Batang Lupar was promised by a state minister a few years ago.

He said this during a recent visit to hand over a minor rural project (MRP) cheque to St Margaret’s Chapel in Bayai near here on behalf of DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen

The allocation came from Chong in his capacity as Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.

Leon pointed out that the bridge project if materialised would lead to more economic activities which would enhance the development in Sri Aman and Betong and can significantly halt rural-urban migration.

“The shorter travelling distance through a bridge connecting Sri Aman and Betong would also greatly benefit students studying in technical and vocational schools in Betong.

“Now it takes nearly two hours to drive to Betong from Sri Aman. But if there was a bridge, the journey can be cut to half hour thus enabling students to commute from Sri Aman to Betong daily,” he said.

He also claimed that the State Budget 2019 was a great disappointment to Sri Aman folk as the development for Sri Aman seemed again to be ignored.

According to him, based on the feedback from Betong and Sri Aman folk gathered by DAP members, it reflected their unhappiness with the Sarawak government for not identifying the real needs of the people there.

“Maybe the elected representatives are afraid to raise this issue that concerned the people of Sri Aman and Betong for fear of their positions,” Leon said.