Proposed bridge at Muara Lassa second longest in S’wak
KUCHING: The proposed bridge at Muara Lassa in Mukah will be the second longest in the state after the proposed Batang Lupar bridge, which is five kilometres long.
According to Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi, the Muara Lassa bridge will be about 2.4 km long, and Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg had announced the approval of the project during a Hari Raya gathering in Daro recently.
The chief minister had also approved the construction of Btg Paloh bridge, also in Mukah, he said.
Yesterday, Julaihi chaired a dialogue organised by Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Transportation ( MIDT) with the local community leaders and assemblymen to get feedback and suggestions on the possible sites of both projects.
The entourage had to take a twohour boat ride from Sibu to Daro for the function.
The meeting in Daro was attended by Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol, who is Semop assemblyman; Daro assemblyman Shafiee Ahmad; Jemoreng assemblyman Datuk Juanda Jaya; MIDT permanent secretary Safri Zainuddin and Mukah Resident Awang Johari Awang Mustafa.
“The construction of the projects ( bridge at Muara Lassa and Btg Paloh bridge) will have a high impact on the people in Mukah, Matu, Daro, Pulau Bruit and Belawai.
“With the construction of the bridges, infrastructure network connecting Matu and Daro to Tanjung Manis and Sibu will be complemented,” Julaihi said in his speech.
Julaihi, who is Sebuyau assemblyman, stressed that the bridge projects were very much needed and using the ferry was sometimes very dangerous.
He mentioned the Muara Lassa ferry service as an example, which depends on the river current and whose operation sometimes has to be suspended during the monsoon season to avoid any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, the dialogue yesterday was among a series of similar discussions by MIDT on the coastal road project and bridges.
A similar dialogue was held a day earlier in Sarikei and previous ones were conducted in Pusa on July 12 on the construction of Saribas bridge and in Sebuyau on July 21 concerning the Batang Lupar bridge.