By Jasmine Badun
KUCHING: The Selampit Bridge, which has been promised many times in elections, should be given immediate attention by the state government, said Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol.
The Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak as the implementing agency for the project had submitted a siting application four times to the State Planning Authority (SPA) but it was not approved, he pointed out in a press statement today.
“The Minister for the Ministry of Rural Development (KPLB) in his reply to me in Parliament on Oct 17, 2018 stated that RM30 million had been approved by the federal government but on Nov 18, 2021, the minister stated that the project has not been tendered due to the issue of the settlement application. The SPA did not approve the proposed bridge location.”
Mordi added that the ministry was still in the process of resolving the issue, including engaging and holding discussions with the Sarawak government through the State Implementation Monitoring Unit (SIMU).
“I greatly appreciate and am thankful to Billy Sujang (Opar assemblyman) for his concern and I fully support his statement that the Selampit Bridge should be constructed this year.
“Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, in his reply to the Opar assemblyman on the status of the project during the winding-up speech at the Sarawak DUN sitting on May 26, 2022, said that JKR will resubmit the siting application for the construction of the Selampit Bridge to the state government for approval.
“It is bad enough that this bridge project has been delayed for many years.” Mordi said the project would save time, reduce travelling costs and improve the quality of life for the community in the village.
