SARIKEI: The new 12-storey Integrated Administrative Centre (IAC) will house important government departments including the Resident Office and Land and Survey Department, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The project, which cost more than RM140 million, would keep important government departments under one roof in order to serve the people better, he told a press conference at the ground breaking ceremony for the centre here yesterday.
The modern and environmentally friendly centre would be the only green building here. Work on the project would start soon, he added.
Abang Johari explained that the centre was part of the Sarikei extension urban development programme and in compliance with the state’s objective to build smart cities.
“Another project that has a bright future is the agro park project which has been approved in Sarikei.
“It will be built by using the ICT approach so that agricultural activities in the area can utilise the Internet of Things (IoT),” he said.
Abang Johari said since Sarikei was set to be one of the state’s food baskets, ICT infrastructure and the use of IoT would help promote the products to a wider market.
He added that other development projects worth more than RM700 million are being implemented here in various stages.
“These approved projects consist of roads, bridges, water and electricity supply. I was informed that the implementation of these projects is running smoothly although there is a slight delay due to the movement control order (MCO) period,” he said.
Abang Johari added that work on the projects was continuing in compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) under the recovery movement control order (RMCO).
“This includes managing the workforce who might be from outside Sarawak. We have to coordinate and manage them to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19,” he said.
The projects might face delays but the Sarawak government already had a catch up plan, he revealed.
Yesterday morning, the chief minister chaired the 10th State Development Coordination Committee meeting to get reports on the developments in Sarikei at the Sarikei Innovation Centre.
