SIBU: Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang has voiced his frustration with the prolonged delay in the upgrading of water supply plants in Selangau and Stapang.
He said despite government plans dating back several years, including former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib’s approval of the Stapang plant upgrade in 2016, progress remains stagnant.
“When questioned about the delay, authorities cite ongoing planning stages, leaving residents without access to clean water for an extended period,” he said during the launching of the Agricop programme held at Rumah Uta Garai, Ulu Pelugau, Selangau, yesterday (Apr 27).
Thus, he stressed the urgency of addressing this issue, promising to raise it during the upcoming State Legislative Assembly (DUN) session.
Calling for swift action, Gira urged the Ministry of Rural Development (KPLB) to prioritise these projects and accelerate their implementation, stressing the importance of providing clean water facilities to longhouse communities without further delay.
In addition to the water supply plant upgrades, Gira also highlighted challenges faced in distributing the Rural Transformation Projects (RTP) in schools, citing circulars from the Ministry of Education restricting certain initiatives.
“Projects like the construction of a grandstand and car parking lot at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kuala Pelugau have been cancelled due to these regulations, despite previous successful implementations in other schools,” he said,
In the past, Gira added, implementing RTP-funded projects in schools posed no significant obstacles, resulting in the successful construction of facilities such as halls in SMK Jalan Oya, SK Sepiring, SK Sebintik, and SMK Ulu Balingian.
While expressing gratitude to implementing agencies for their cooperation, Gira urged for residents’ support in launching construction projects within the Tamin constituency.
