MIRI: The Sarawak government has been prioritising rural development and the people in and around Telang Usan are fine examples of those who have benefitted from various projects costing billions of ringgit.
More projects will be coming, which gladden the hearts of Telang Usan folk, according to their assemblyman Dennis Ngau (from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
“As the elected representative of Telang Usan, I do my best to bring development to the area. The task is not easy but someone has to do it,” he said.
He explained that it was tough to implement development projects in Telang Usan because of the distances between the scattered villages, transportation problems, and the high cost of building materials.
“Almost all the roads going into settlements in the Telang Usan constituency are used for logging. I hope that all 88 settlements in the constituency will enjoy better accessibility (by road) in the next two years with allocations amounting to RM750 million from the Highland Development Agency (HDA),” he said.
The development planning, Dennis explained, included providing electricity via solar energy under the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares) to settlements located in the interior areas of Telang Usan.
Another proof of the Sarawak government’s commitment to bringing development to Telang Usan was the construction of the Long Lama Bridge or Pehin Sri Adenan Satem Bridge.
Dennis said the RM67million project, completed in 2019 and declared open on April 20 last year by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, had benefitted the people of Telang Usan.
He added that ever since the bridge’s completion, the movements of the people from Long Lama to Miri, which was located at about 140km away, had been uninterrupted, unlike before when they had to use ferry services.
“They don’t have to rush or worry about the operation hours (7am to 9pm daily) of the ferry,” he said.
Gone were the days when people in Long Lama had to endure long queues and heavy congestion while waiting for the ferry, said Dennis.
The bridge was fully funded by the Sarawak government and approved during the late Adenan’s administration.
Meanwhile, on the PBB Telang Usan election machinery, Dennis disclosed that it had been mobilised to ensure sound victory in the coming 12th state election.
In the 2016 state polls, Dennis retained his seat for the second term after garnering 3,231 votes to beat Roland Engan of PKR, who obtained 3,064 votes.
To date, Telang Usan has a total of 11,535 registered voters.
