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Comment on RM67.55b surplus but where’s the money? by Teddy Gumbang

Yes where’s the money gone??

No wonder Manyin said no money for roads !!

Otherwise that RM56 billion surplus if true would easily funds at least the RM16 billion new dual-lane highway cost!!!
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No budget, no dual carriageway
Manyin says due to lack of funds government’s other option is to build overtaking lanes
by Georgette Tan, The Borneo Post Thursday 23 December 2010

SERIAN: The government is keen to develop a dual carriage way between Kuching and Miri to provide easy access between the two cities.

In saying that this was ideal as it would cut down driving time from 12 hours to seven, Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Dato Sri Micheal Manyin Jawong, however, said the government did not have sufficient funds to carry out the project.

“Sarawak is the biggest state in Malaysia and our population is only 2.5 million and very scattered. We cannot follow what is being implemented in Peninsular Malaysia,” he told reporters after officiating at the Christmas Road Safety Campaign today.

At the same time, Manyin also said that a lot of villages and longhouses were still not accessible by road, adding that the ministry’s target and priority was to make all these places accessible by 2020.

“Roads are very costly. We cannot just concentrate on the trunk road or the towns. We also want to provide connectivity to all those villages and settlements,” said Manyin, pointing out that this was a tall order for the ministry.

“Public Works Department (JKR) capacity is there but the money is not,” he said.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the federal government had given the state a substantial amount of money for roads, including those within the SCORE area.

“Our ministry has submitted a request for RM100 million under the Tenth Malaysia Plan to build overtaking lanes.

“If we get that, I believe accidents on the trunk roads will be very much reduced,” Manyin said, adding that Sarawak does not have enough volume for toll plazas.

On the road safety campaign, Manyin advised motorcyclists to give way to larger vehicles even if they have right of way as they usually bear the brunt of any accident with a car or lorry.

“You may be right, but you may also be dead right,” he said, revealing that around 65 per cent of traffic accidents were caused by human factors.

“As minister, I appeal to people not to drink and drive. You must know your limit,” Manyin said, adding that Gawai was usually accompanied by a drastic increase in the number of accidents.

According to Malaysia Road Safety Department (JKJR), the number of accidents increased from 15,157 during Jan-Nov last year to 15,759 this Jan-Nov.

Meanwhile, accident-related deaths went up from 310 to 330 in the same period.

Earlier on Manyin handed out brochures and goodies to motorists in Serian, and new helmets to motorcyclists as part of JKJR’s regular road safety campaigns.

Also present was JKJR Sarawak deputy director Redzuan Hamdan.
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Manyin: Estimated cost of state trunk road upgrading RM16b
New Sarawak Tribune, Tuesday, 28 June 2011

KUCHING: The estimated cost for the upgrading of the state trunk road to a two-lane dual carriageway from Kuching (Sematan) to Lawas (Merapok) – covering the distance of 1,080 kilometers – is RM16billion (approximately RM16 million per km) at the current rate, said Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong (picture) yesterday.

“In view of the high cost, the upgrading exercise will be carried out in phases.In the meantime, proposals have been made under the 10MP Rolling Plan 2 (2012- 2013) to provide some stretches of the roads from Sibu to Miri with overtaking lanes.This is to reduce road accidents and to allow drivers, who are being held up by slow heavy vehicles, to overtake,” he told the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting in his replies to questions and comments by some members of august House yesterday afternoon.

Manyin stressed Sarawak is a unique state with a vast land area.

Many of its terrains are unfriendly.

The coastal areas comprise peats as deep as 20m or more.All these pose big challenges in the construction of roads in coastal areas or areas bordering Kalimantan which will be very expensive.

“To construct a road to connect a small settlement in the rural areas could incur costs as high as RM100 million (RM10 million per km for interior areas and coastal areas will cost more).If we look from the economic aspect, this is not viable.

If it is on social considerations, do we have the money? A conservative estimate of RM43 billion is required to provide connectivity to all the villages that are not accessible by road in the state.

“This is the dilemma the government is facing.With limited allocations, all requests by the YBs have to be implemented on a priority basis depending on their merits and approached in a systematic and well-planned manner,” he said.

Nonetheless, the government is serious and determined to construct more roads to provide accessibility and connectivity to all the settlements that are not connected by roads.Similarly, the existing roads will be improved and upgraded from time to time when funds are made available, he assured.

“To construct and improve more roads in the state, my ministry through JKR will make continuous effort to apply for more funds from the Federal government for implementation,” he added.

Manyin also informed the august House that the RM10-million allocation for the infrastructure development at Rantau Panjang, Sibu was partly a contribution to the developer from the government for the provision of infrastructure facilities for the overall development of the Shipbuilding Yard there.

In return, the developer would sell the developed lots to the selected participants at a price of RM250,000 per acre in the first year after completion.

The provision of infrastructure facilities included the construction of a connecting road and extension of utility services to the site, taken from the nearest existing supply points in Sibu.

On the delay in the upgrading of the Biawak Road, he said the project had fallen behind schedule by 46.4 per cent.The present physical progress is 37.3 per cent as against the scheduled 83.7 per cent.

“The delay is attributed to poor management of the project by the contractor.To speed up the implementation, JKR has conducted close monitoring meetings with the contractor at a twice weekly interval basis.At the rate of implementation, the contractor had indicated that the completion date would be early next year.” The Baji Road is currently being used as a temporary detour road for the local people staying in Merudu area while the main route going to the Sarikei Town is closed due to the construction of the Merudu Bridge, he replied to another question.

“The bridge is under construction and expected to be completed by the end of this year.Once the bridge is built, traffic flow on the Jalan Baji would be normalised,” he added.

For the Rajang Bridge at Upper Lanang in Sibu, he said it was built at a contract price of RM180 million under the public-private partnership concept to speed up the development.

“Out of the RM180 million, the payments were RM90 million being made in kinds in the form of state land, and RM10 million was paid in cash.

“This leaves a balance of RM80 million unpaid, which is to be raised through the toll collection.The issue of full settlement or over payment for the Rajang Bridge therefore, does not arise at all,” he said in his reply to the Dudong and Meradong representatives.

On another question by Pelagus State Assemblyman, he replied registration and enforcement activities had been carried out by the Sarawak Rivers Board to ensure all commercial and passenger vessels are in compliance with all traffic safety requirements under the Sarawak Rivers Ordinance.

The Kapit Passenger Terminal was completed recently and has a capacity for 150 passengers which is sufficient for use under normal time.To provide more space especially during the festive seasons, Sarawak Rivers Board will provide temporary tents outside the terminal.

Under the 10MP, an allocation of RM3 million was also approved for the improvement on the landing facilities and a study on the project is currently being carried out, he said.

On politics, he said the opposition must be a responsible and constructive one and their members should play a meaningful and responsible role in maintaining political stability, racial harmony and sustaining economic progress of the country.

Good examples of such oppositions are those in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and England, which play the role of checks and balances, he said.

Manyin also refuted the accusation that the Dayak leaders had not looked after the interests of the Dayak in the state.”If this is true, the rural areas would not be what they are today and we the Dayaks would not be what we are today,” the Minister pointed out.


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