22 March 2016

Sarawak wants more funds for road maintenance

Michael-Manyin-Jawong
 March 22, 2016
Putrajaya urged to match or exceed state's allocation for road maintenance.




PETALING JAYA: The Sarawak state government spends around RM500 million on road maintenance work annually and wants the Federal Government to match or exceed its allocation for road maintenance in the state.

 According to a Borneo Post Online report, state Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Michael Manyin Jawong said the state government allocated RM2,800 per kilometre a month to maintain roads and RM750 per kilometre a month for substandard roads in the state.

 On the other hand, Putrajaya, through the Malaysian Road Records Information System, allocates RM2,500 per kilometre a month to maintain roads and RM700 per kilometre a month for substandard roads in the state.

 Manyin said out of 30,000 kilometres of roads in the state, the Federal Government maintained 9,500 kilometres.

 “As such, I hope the federal side will match or exceed the state’s rate as the allocation of RM5 million to the state this year is not sufficient.




“Especially this year when floods have caused massive road damage in Kuching and Serian,” he said at an event in Kuching that was also attended by federal Works Minister Fadillah Yusof.Meanwhile in another report, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said restoration of telecommunication towers and WiFi communities in Sarawak was at 90 per cent and 98 per cent respectively.This brings the number of restored telecommunication towers to 135 and WiFi communities to 429.



It had been previously reported that some telecommunication towers and WiFi communities in the state were unconnected.

The WiFi community initiative is aimed at providing wireless Internet access to rural areas.

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