Both sides of Sg Tutoh to be connected to Marudi — Gerawat
LONG UKOK: Roads and bridges will be constructed to link both sides of Sungai Tutoh to Marudi.
State Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Gerawat Gala said the main demand from residents in the Tutoh area is for roads.
“For the Tutoh area, the Chief Minister ( Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) has approved the construction of paved roads from Marudi to Long Terawan.
“This road will pass by Linei. In Linei, a bridge will be built to cross Sungai Tutoh at its right bank and will continue to connect Long Ukok to Long Terawan,” he said during a handover ceremony for the completion and commissioning of the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme ( Sares) here recently.
Gerawat said Long Panai, Long Patan, and Long Paloh would also be connected to this road network.
“The government will not forget. A bridge crossing Sungai Tutoh to Long Panai will also be built. From Long Panai the road will be connected to Long Patan and Long Paloh,” he said.
“The Chief Minister has handed over a contract offer letter for Phase 1 of this road costing RM43 million in Marudi last month. The construction work will commence this month.”
He said the road should be completed at the latest in three years’ time.
On poor telephone service in Long Paloh, Long Ukok, and Long Patan areas, he said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government is looking into improvements.
“This has also been included in the GPS government’s plan, so that all telecommunication towers or telephone and Internet services will be upgraded in our areas.
“That is why the Chief Minister has set up a special agency to accelerate the development of Internet and phone infrastructure in our area, especially remote areas like ours. The Sarawak Multimedia Authority will manage the development of telephone and Internet infrastructure in our rural areas.”
He added that the Sarawak government would continue to prioritise rural development.
“To accelerate development in rural areas, the government has established the Highland Development Agency, Upper Rajang Development Agency, and the Northern Region Development Agency, and allocated RM4.5 billion for development projects under these three agencies,” he said.
“The government also provides allocations to relevant ministries to carry out rural development as part of their responsibilities as such the Ministry of Utilities, which has supplied electricity through Sares projects.”
During the event, Gerawat handed over fire extinguishers from the Fire and Rescue Department to three longhouses.