Sarawak targets complete road network by 2030

Sarawak has set a target of a complete road network by 2030 for the state to be fully connected, via the Pan Borneo Highway project, to spur further new development along the highway, says Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said this vital road connectivity would attract more investors and help to further drive economic activities for the state.

“We will expect a hive of economic activities that will thrive, and that will be necessarily and amply supported by infrastructure and utility projects, such as electrical power supply and water distribution works,” he said when officiating at the Board of Engineers Malaysia ( BEM) Roadshow 2017 here yesterday.

He said to enhance Sarawak’s development status, the state government embarked on several important plans, including the implementation and commissioning of more power plants, dams, port expansion, an Light Rail Transit (LRT) line as well as projects under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

On the roadshow, Abang Johari said th ere are broadly four sectors that critically require the services of engineering team – improvement in connectivity by constructing more roads and bridges; extending the coverage of water supply especially to the rural population; the development of industrial estates; and the provision of affordable housing for the people.

He said Sarawak should also optimise its energy and natural resources for economic development and industrialisation, citing the Bakun dam as a good example of a commercially viable project.

“We are currently committed to investing RM1 billion to start with, to ensure that our ICT infrastructure is fit enough to support new digital industries, commerce and investment that we expect to attract to come to Sarawak,” he said. — Bernama