Samarahan Division was declared as Sarawak’s eighth Division on January 1,
1987. In August 1993, Kota Samarahan, was added as the third District within
the Samarahan Division along with Serian and Simunjan districts. Samarahan
Division also accommodates the sub-districts of Asajaya, Sadongjaya, Sebuyau
and Tebedu. Kota Samarahan was made the administrative centre of the Division.
In the past, the region
lacked social and community facilities due to the poor road infrastructures
which made Kota Samarahan almost inaccessible by land. Before the Muara Tuang
feeder road was completed in the early 1970s, Kota Samarahan was relatively
isolated from the bustling city of Kuching. At that time, boats or sampan
were the major means of transportation, and this made it difficult for the
people to market their agricultural produce outside the Samarahan boundary.
As a result, the economic growth in Samarahan remained stagnant. It was not
until the expansion of various road networks that the socio-economic situation
in Samarahan began to show signs of improvement.
Kota Samarahan, located
38 kilometres from Kuching, now boasts good road infrastructures that in effect
have contributed to Samarahan's socio-economic development. Most of these
road infrastructures are implemented by Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR). One of the
most significant road developments in Samarahan is the Kpg. Entingan/Kpg.
Melayu road which was completed in 1996. The road enables the population of
Asajaya and Sadongjaya to directly travel to Kuching without using the ferry
service at Kota Samarahan.
Prior to the completion
of Jalan Kpg. Entingan/Kpg. Melayu, about 60% of the residents in Samarahan
depended on the ferry service every day in order to cross Batang Samarahan.
However, the ferry service ifs frequently interrupted by the low tide. At
times, the interruption can continue for two or three hours making it impossible
for the ferry to operate. With the completion of Jalan Kpg. Entingan/Kpg.
Melayu, the people of Samarahan has found an alternative mode of transportation.
According to Encik Mohd. Zaidi Datuk Haji Awang Daud, Divisional Development
Officer for the Samarahan Resident’s Office, “this does not mean that the
ferry service will become obsolete. Instead the new road will complement the
existing ferry service and provide an alternative mode of transport for the
people of Samarahan.”
Apart from Jalan Kpg.
Entingan/Kpg. Melayu, there are several new roads still under construction.
One of them is Kuching/Samarahan Expressway. This road links the gyratory
a Samarahan to Tabuan Jaya, which will significantly cut down the traveling
time to and from Samarahan to Kuching.
A large majority of
the Samarahan population depend on agriculture such as coconut and cocoa as
their main source of income. With the completion of these new roads, there
is better access to the rural agricultural areas. For instance, the area in
Asajaya is now being developed by the Department of Agriculture, Integrated
Agriculture Development Project (IADP) and Department of Irrigation and Drainage
(DID). The new road network also provide the catalyst for other infrastructural
developments such as mini industrial estates in Kota Samarahan now have three
light industries namely Borneo Enamel, KIG Ceramics and Carbon Supplies. Kota
Samarahan also displays its modern architectural ingenuity such as the Asajaya
township which was officially opened in 1996, the Asajaya District Office
and Civic Centre that were opened in May 1993. Three tertiary institutions,
namely University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), MARA Intitute of Technology (ITM)
and Cermai Jaya Matriculation college, are also located in Kota Samarahan.
Undoubtedly, the new
roads had contributed to the rapid pace of physical and socio-economic development
of the region as a whole. With improved road transportation networks, the
role of Kota Samarahan as an administrative and commercial center could be
further enhanced. All these would enable the township to sustain of urban
services and facilities for an area which is fairly heavily populated and
agriculturally rich.
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