SUNGAI SIPUT, July 3 — Phase two of the Jalan Anak Kurau road project in Batu Kurau, Larut to Kamunting, Taiping spanning 6.4 kilometres which was postponed since 2018 is expected to resume early next year.
State Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transportation Committee chairman, Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun said the second phase costing RM91 million was approved in 2016 but delayed due to several factors including realignment.
He said in June 2018, the Finance Ministry issued a directive to cancel the tender but allowed the project to resume in December, the same year.
“However, during the land acquisition process in April 2019, there was a housing scheme approved by the local authority in part of the designed alignment, which called for a realignment of the road,” he told reporters when met here, today.
Zolkafly, who is also Lintang assemblyman, said if the new alignment does not require building a bridge, the project could be completed within 24 months, at least.
In this regard, he hoped that Batu Kurau residents could be patient and not easily fall for the attempt of some parties to gain political mileage by playing up the issue.
Yesterday, Kampung Anak Kurau Bersatu chairman Mohd Radzi Ramli, who was representing some 60,000 residents in Batu Kurau, urged the federal government to expedite the project as it could reduce travel time from Anak Kurau to Kamunting from 45 minutes to 15 minutes. — Bernama
