Welcome Rakan Sarawak August 2005

Rangkaian Khidmat Awam Negeri Sarawak

A MONTHLY SUPPLEMENT OF RAKAN SARAWAK BULLETIN

(People, events, activities and programmes which make for a total quality-managed Sarawak Civil Service)

ISSN 1394-5726

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A “Bright ” Future for Rural Folks

The Federal Ministry of Rural and Regional Development has assured that 40,000 people in Sarawak ’s central and southern zones will enjoy electricity
supply once the ongoing Rural Electricity Supply (BELB)project is fully completed by February 2006.

The Rural Electricity Supply (BELB),a federal-funded programme is being implemented in stages and has begun works in the interior areas in the state early this year. Rural and Regional Development Minister,Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin said his ministry had identified about 5,000 villages and longhouses which still without electricity,while presently, only 20 per cent of the people living in the villages and longhouses have already enjoyed the amenities.

In 2004,the federal government had approved RM70 million worth of electricity supply projects,involving 75 schemes. Sixteen schemes for Sarawak ’s
central region,which are,Sarikei, Sibu,Kapit and Mukah divisions,and 59 scheme for the southern region - Kuching,Samarahan,Betong and Sri Aman.For this year,the federal government had once again approved another budget of RM27 million worth of projects for the northern region, Miri,Bintulu and Limbang.

On solving the electricity supply problem in the interior areas,Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz said it would be solved through the use of grid,generator or solar system. Despite being aware of the challenges and technical problems involved in implementing the BELB projects,he said the ministry is confident that the project will be carried out successfully with the close cooperation of contractors,the state government and the Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation
(Sesco).

He was also optimistic that with the positive progress on the ongoing power supply projects,which has started eight per cent ahead of schedule,at least 70 per cent of the rural folks will be able to enjoy electricity supply by December this year. It is imperative for the people to give their full cooperation towards the government ’s projects in order to ensure that the success of the project and deny negative sentiments aimed at ruining such projects,the minister added.

Meanwhile,during the DUN sitting in August last year,Assistant Minister of Finance and Public Utilities,Datuk Ambrose Blikau Enturan,reiterated that the BELB programme had to be implemented in stages due to various constraints, particularly on the locality of the villages and population as well as the high implementation cost.