Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is scheduled to officiate at the earth-breaking ceremony of the Batang Lupar Bridge tomorrow (Mar 23).
The ceremony will take place at the project’s site in Sebuyau, about 1.5km from the Sebuyau Ferry Base. The ceremony was originally scheduled for Feb 18 but was postponed to today due to concerns about the spread of Covid-19 in the state.
The bridge, to be built in 48 months, will connect Sebuyau to Triso as well as replace the ferry services along the river.
Abang Johari said the construction of the bridge was keenly awaited by the locals as its completion would help to boost their economy.
The Batang Lupar Bridge is among the nine bridge projects across the state planned by the Sarawak government to connect the coastal road.
Other bridges are Batang Rajang, Batang Paloh, Muara Lassa, Rambungan, Batang Kemena, Sungai Krian, Batang Saribas and Batang Igan.
The construction of bridges along the coastal road is set to be a game-changer in the future. With the completion of all the bridges, the dream of a seamless second trunk road for Sarawak will soon be a reality.
Commonly referred to as the coastal road, it is a much-awaited project by all Sarawakians.
In four years’ time, travellers on the coastal road will not have to wait for ferry services once the construction of all the bridges is completed.
Estimated to cost RM5 billion, the 896-km coastal road will materialise once the construction of the Batang Lupar Bridge is completed by 2025.
It is poised to bring significant changes to the socio-economic landscape of the rural communities, especially along the state’s coastal areas.
Abang Johari said when completed, the RM848 mln, 5.1-km Batang Lupar Bridge, would take over the Batang Sadong Bridge as the longest river crossing in Sarawak.
It will also be the longest river crossing bridge in Malaysia.
The initial cost to build the bridge was estimated at RM1 billion. The state government, however, was able to reduce it to RM848 million.
Infrastructure and Ports Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said construction of the bridge was a yet another promise well kept by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.
He said GPS’ vision was to create accessibility in Sarawak, with or without Putrajaya’s assistance, adding: “We promise. We deliver.”
The ground works for the project started in 2019 by the responsible contractors after they were awarded the contract to construct the approach road from the bridge to the main road.
Assistant Infrastructure and Ports Development Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi said the bridge would complete the missing link of the state coastal road.
With its location next to the Triso Island, the bridge is also poised to become a tourist attraction.
Julaihi said the construction of the coastal road involved three components.
“The first one is to build all the bridges. Secondly, we build the missing link — meaning that we build roads including the bridges.
“Thirdly, we upgrade the existing coastal road.”
The construction of the Batang Lupar Bridge is fully borne by Sarawak government, after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government decided to scrap the 50-50 percent cost sharing agreement made during the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.
PH also scrapped the whole package of the costal road when it took over Putrajaya after the 14th general election.
But thanks to the GPS state government, the project is proceeding as planned.
The state government decided to go ahead with the project given its importance to expedite its rural development agenda.
The bridges alone are estimated to cost about RM2 billion.
Its completion in 2025 will certainly be a ‘sweet’ victory not only to the GPS-led state government but every Sarawakian, especially those residing along the coastal road.
Abang Johari said the bridges and road would connect all coastal areas to boost connectivity and remove their dependence on ferry services.
“With the completion of the bridges, rural folk will no longer have to travel to the cities and back by ferry, which was time-consuming especially during festive periods and weekends.
“Most important, all the bridge projects will be toll-free.”
The people of Sarawak are indeed very fortunate. If the state government has depended 100 percent on fundings from the federal government, perhaps the construction of the bridges will not only be delayed but will remain merely dreams.
The coastal road will not only provide an alternative trunk road from Kuching to Miri but also greatly reduce travelling time between the two cities.
