Masing calls out Soon Koh on rural infrastructure development

A stretch of Ng Sepanggil-Tunoh (access road to Tunoh) currently under construction.

KUCHING (Oct 1): Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing has taken Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh to task over his comments on the infrastructure development in Baleh and Tunoh.

“The Ng Mujong and Ng Sepanggil-Tunoh roads are currently under construction, hence the poor condition is a normal and necessary part of a situation,” said Masing, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure and Ports Development, in a statement today.

On Wednesday, Wong had criticised the condition of the roads in Baleh where Masing is assemblyman, adding that infrastructure development in the rural areas was lacking.

The PSB president had claimed that he had driven from Kapit to Tunoh in Baleh last week, and though the distance was only about 83km, it took him almost four hours. He added that the road was treacherous.

Refuting the PSB president’s allegation that he had failed to bring infrastructure development to his constituency, Masing said nearly RM3 billion had been allocated for infrastructure development in Baleh comprising five road projects.

Masing said the 73-km Ng Mujong Road, which is the access road to the proposed Baleh Dam, at RM1.2 billion and Ng Sepanggil-Tunoh, the access road to Tunoh, at RM600 million were under construction.

According to him, the construction of the Rh Nyamok/Ng Serau/Ng Gaat/SMK Baleh/Sg Kain road at RM380 million, to be carried out in two phases, will begin at the end of this year.

Masing said the road to Tunoh (Ng Mujong/Ng Tiau/Tunoh) estimated at RM550 million had been approved for implementation under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

“Batang Baleh bridge, Sg Mujong bridge and Sg Banyau bridge have been completed at a cost of RM123 million. Meanwhile, the RM3.9 million Sg Merirai bridge is under construction,” he added.

Pointing out that the facts “speak for themselves”, Masing said he had succeeded in bringing billions of ringgit in infrastructure development to Baleh, which is also a testimony to the earnest efforts of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government in developing rural areas.

He said Wong had boasted of building roads to all longhouses within his Bawang Assan constituency but denigrated the achievements in Baleh.

By so doing, he said Wong had disclosed his real motive for the personal attack on him.

“He is portraying himself as the better leader over his opponent. If indeed Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has succeeded in building roads to all longhouses within Bawang Assan, he did only what was expected of him as he was the infrastructure development and transportation minister for eight years from 1996 to 2004.”

He alleged that Wong had failed to develop any rural road within the Bawang Assan constituency during his tenure as the minister of infrastructure and transportation.

Masing said only four years after he was appointed as the Minister of Infrastructure and Ports Development that the Sg Bidut/Kpg Tutus/Kpg Sebedil/Kpg Bungan road within Bawang Assan was approved, and was currently under construction.

He noted that Wong also questioned the state government’s decision to build an airport in Tunoh given that this area is underdeveloped.

“In questioning the Sarawak government’s decision to build the airport in Tunoh, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has lent further credence to the view that he opposes development to the rural areas.

“For someone who relies on rural constituents for support, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has shown himself to be self-contradictory,” asserted Masing.

At the launch of the 17th annual general meeting of Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on April 25 last year,

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had announced the Tunoh airport on April 25 last year, as part of a long-term development plan for the area.

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