KUCHING, Jan 6 — Works Minister Baru Bian today denied claims that he was not fighting enough for Sarawak to get more allocations from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government.
He said he was criticised by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders when he announced that the federal government had decided to postpone the construction of three major bridge projects due to financial constraints.
“When I made the announcement of the postponement, they claimed that I have not been fighting enough for more funds to proceed with the construction of the three bridges,” he told reporters at the Christmas Open House he and his wife Yu Cheng Siew held at the Padungan Community Hall here.
The proposed construction of bridges over Batang Lupar, Batang Rambungan and Batang Igan was approved by the previous Barisan Nasional government.
Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had agreed that the federal government would fully finance the construction of Batang Rambungan and Batang Igan bridges.
However for the Batang Lupar bridge the federal government would finance 50 per cent of the cost of building the while the state government would bear the rest.
Baru said he was happy the state government’s decision to proceed with the construction of Batang Lupar and Batang Rambungan bridges using its own resources.
“If the state government has the means and capability in terms of finance, then that is a very good thing to do,” he said.
Asked if the federal government would reimburse the state government on the costs of building the bridges, Baru said no decision has been made on it yet.
He said the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Economic Affairs are studying a proposal for the federal government to reimburse the state government under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
He said the state government submitted the proposal to the Works Ministry two months ago for reimbursement upon completion of the two bridges.
Baru said he forwarded the proposal to the two ministries to decide.
