MARUDI: The federal government has a master plan for the continued development of Sarawak due to the vast potential for development in the state, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Prime Minister said the master plan could be realised because he had a good relationship with Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg and the federal and Sarawak governments enjoyed excellent ties.
“We want Sarawak to move forward relentlessly because it has great potential for development,” he said when addressing a meet-the-people session and launching the construction of the Marudi Bridge at Marudi Square here yesterday.
Also present at the event were the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Tan Sri James Jemut Masing, Baram Member of Parliament Anyi Ngau and Marudi State Assemblyman, Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil.
Najib said that it was his desire to see Sarawak develop further that had made him visit the Land of the Hornbills about 60 times in association with 161 programmes during the past nine years as the prime minister.
The Prime Minister said that on each of his visits to Sarawak, he did not come empty-handed.
“I have provided additional allocations to the state on each of my walkabouts (over the past nine years), so much so that a deputy chief minister (Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas) informed me that I had approved a total sum of RM4.3 billion,” he said.
Najib’s visits to Sarawak have been recorded by then deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Alfred Jabu Numpang and were being done now by Uggah.
The Prime Minister said the Marudi Bridge, to be built at a cost of RM84 million, would benefit about 27,000 people.
The bridge, which would greatly reduce travel time for the people, would bring about a major change and should have been built a long time ago, he said.
