Search

KOTA SAMARAHAN (P197) Sarawak’s education hub

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email

INCUMBENT:

Rubiah Wang (BN-PBB)

Last 05 May, 2013 Election Result:

1. Rubiah Wang (BN-PBB): 24,202 votes

2. Abg Ahmad Kerdee Abg Masagus: 8,801 votes

Majority: 17,401 votes

 

The parliamentary seat of Kota Samarahan comprises the state seats of Asajaya (N.15) and Muara Tuang (N.16) which are represented by Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (BN-PBB) and Datuk Idris Buang (BN-PBB) respectively. Kota Samarahan, the education hub for Sarawak, is known officially as ‘Town of Knowledge’. Besides being the centre of Samarahan Division, it is a suburb of the greater metropolitan area of Kuching, in the Kuching Division and located about 30 km southeast of Kuching. It is the administrative seat of Samarahan Division, which has a population of more than 300,000. Few people today can remember that Kota Samarahan was called ‘Muara Tuang’ decades ago with its totally rural setting and uneven gravel roads.

Today it is a modern town in the making, especially due to its strategic location between Sarawak’s capital Kuching and Sebuyau, which is a gateway to central Sarawak. Credit should also go to NAIM Holdings Bhd, Sarawak’s biggest housing developer, which went into the area years ago and has built thousands of shophouses and residential homes. The land in Samarahan Division is mostly flat and low-lying with peat soil which is ideal for planting coconuts, oil palm and pineapples.

A HAPPY family celebrating Hari Raya in Kota Samarahan
NEW housing estate in Kota Samarahan.

Agriculture is still the main economic activity in Samarahan but light industries are moving in. The service sector, especially the education related-sector, is increasingly becoming significant in Samarahan. Commercial centres are mushrooming to cater for the increasing population. Kota Samarahan today is a concentration of universities, institutions of higher learning and other education facilities.

SARAWAK Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra).
UNIVERSITI Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

Among the higher learning institutions in the area are Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Teknologi MARA Kota Samarahan Campus (UiTM-2 campuses), Teacher Education Institut e Tun Abdul Razak Campus, Kota Samarahan Industrial Training Institute (ILPKS) and AAA Zenith Services (an English language service provider). Sarawak General Hospital (SGH Heart Centre) is also located in this town. The RM400 centre, formerly known as Sarawak International Medical Centre (SIMC), is equipped with the latest technology as well as staffed by highly skilled cardiac specialists.

Meanwhile, Unimas is proposing to build a teaching hospital for its Medicine and Health Sciences Faculty under the 10th Malaysia Plan. The Summer Shopping Mall here is a three-storey shopping mall with an underground car park. Construction for the new Summer Lagoon Water Theme Park, adjacent to Summer Shopping Mall, is on schedule and expected to open later this year. The main tenants of Summer Lagoon are Servay Hypermarket, Parkwell Departmental Store and Lotus Five Star, the region’s largest Lotus Five Star Cineplex with SUMMER Mall Shopping Complex.

AIMAN MALL Shopping Complex. nine elegant cinema halls, two 3D movie halls and one classy theatre room. Aiman Mall is the latest addition to the shopping malls in Kota Samarahan. Its main tenants are H&L supermarket, After Four Kopitiam and DIY Superstore.

AIMANMALL Shopping Complex.
SUMMER Mall Shopping Complex.

Government buildings such as Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) and the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) are also located in this town. Prior to 1990, the only means of access to Kota Samarahan from Kuching was via the ferry at Sungai Kuap or the road access via Jalan Datuk Muhamad Musa. The construction of the Kuching- Kota Samarahan Expressway has shortened the road travelling distance between Kuching and Kota Samarahan to 11km. This new road links Kota Samarahan with the major industrial areas of Pending, Demak Laut and Sama Jaya.

Currently, the road is undergoing expansion in anticipation of increased traffic. The polling districts of Beliong, Tanjung Apong, Tambirat, Tambey, Sui, Sambir, Sebandi Matang, Sebandi Ulu, Subi, Moyan, Reba, Moyan Ulu, Moyan Ledang, Serpan, Serpan Ulu, Asajaya, Asajaya Laut, Tebun, Sampun, Empila, Tanju, Batu Blat, Tuang, Semaran, Ladang Samarahan, Melaban, Merdang, Quop, Sidanu, Pengkalan Kuap and Stakan are in this constituency.

Download from Apple Store or Play Store.