KAPIT, June 6 — Sarawak premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today announced an instant allocation of RM190 million to upgrade and widen roads here which have become traffic jam prone after the completion of the Sibu-Kapit road two years ago.

He said Kapit is fast developing after the completion of the Sibu-Kapit road, replacing rivers as the main mode of transportation. “Today, we see Kapit is full of traffic jams. This is proof of the success our development plan,” he said in his speech at a tea party held in conjunction with the state-level celebration of the birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at the Kapit town square.

Abang Johari said Kapit will definitely become a major town with more development taking place.

“As a sign of gratitude to the people of Kapit, and to solve the traffic jam problems in Kapit town, we will upgrade and widen the roads in the town with an allocation of RM190 million being approved today,” he said adding that the allocation is a gift to the people of Kapit and he hopes that the roads will be widened and upgraded.

He said the state government will build an electricity grid over a distance of 30km from Kapit to Sungai Tunoh which is currently being built as a development area.

“As a development area, Sungai Tunoh certainly requires electricity service,” he said, adding that it will cost the state government RM58 million.

He also announced an allocation of RM105 million for the construction of a road to connect Ulu Sungai Katibas with Sungai Bakit in Song, Katibas.

Abang Johari said the state government has come up with development plans and policies to ensure that Sarawak continues to be peaceful, prosperous and developed, especially after the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As part of the regions that formed the Federation of Malaysia, we will continue to be together with Malaysia and progress as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said.

“Because of this, we have prepared the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) to ensure that our economic situation will continue to increase while we are facing the world which is getting more challenging up to 2030,” he said.