PSB’s visionary team committed to solving traffic, flood woes in Sibu
SIBU: Having made elevating Sibu into a city its priority, the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) visionary team is committed towards solving traffic and flood woes faced by the local folks, said party president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
He pointed out that traffic congestion and flooding are two huge problems that beset Sibu.
In this regard, he appealed to Sibu folk to send all five members of the team to the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) so they can carry out development plans for Sibu.
“The new visionary team here would like to appeal to people of Sibu to rally behind PSB, and elect all of us so that with (this) collective strength, we will be able to carry all these development plans for Sibu.
“The late Dato Andrew Wong had engaged well-known consultants to do detailed (traffic) study and had come up with a detailed plan, drawing and had worked out the necessary budget for implementation.
“Once elected, we will immediately implement the project and within one or two years, the project can be completed,” Wong told a press conference here yesterday.
The Bawan Assan incumbent noted that there are eight focal points of the traffic congestion problem.
According to the study, the eight areas are Ulu Sungai Merah Road to Ling Kai Cheng roundabout; Deshon Road-Pedada Road-Ling Kai Cheng Road junction; Deshon Road-Persiaran Brooke-Teng Chin Hua Road; Wawasan Road-Teng Chin Hua Road (University Technology Sarawak); Permai Jaya junction with Tuanku Abdul Rahman Road junction; Pedada Road (now Dr Wong Soon Kai Road)-Oya Road-Wong King Huo Road junction; Tong Sang Road-Wong King Huo Road junction; and Sibu Old Airport Road-Sungai Teku linking Pasai Siong Road.
“In addition, we will build new roads to divert traffic away from city
centre. They are the construction and completion of new road from Aman Roundabout to Sibu Airport Road, stretching 4.5 km, costing RM39.250 million; construction and completion of new road from Aman Roundabout to Sibu Ulu Oya Road meeting at Pahlawan traffic light junction, stretching 1.5 km, costing RM11.84 million; construction and completion of new road from Teku Road to Ulu Sungai Merah, involving 3 km, costing RM29.152 million; construction and completion of new road from Sungai Merah Road to Tuanku Abdul Rahman Road, stretching 4.5 km at RM52.870 million, and construction and completion of new road from Teku-Pasai Siong Road to Kemuyang, stretching 6 km, at RM51.784 million and construction and completion of new road from Ulu Sungai Merah to Kemuyang, stretching 12.5 km, costing RM147.305 million,” he said.
Wong said that these were 2018’s prices, and the cost may have to be increased by three per cent based on inflationary rate, as the study was carried out during the 2018 parliamentary election.
He believes with the improvement of the junctions and construction of six new roads to divert traffic away from the city centre, traffic problems will be solved for Sibu town for the next 10 to 20 years.
On the four-phase flood mitigation plan for Sibu, he said that Phase 1 and 2 have been successfully implemented.
However, Phase 3 and 4 have not been implemented but would be carried out as planned if his team is elected.
“Once we are in the government, we will carry out. Phase 3, we have about RM112 million but that (sum) was diverted to Nangka area, which is not right.
“In fact, Phase 3 is most crucial as this is Bukit Assek area, which is lowlying and prone to floods. We would like to elevate Sibu to city status and we would like to solve these two huge problems faced by Sibu,” he said.