Second Trunk Road Can Shorten Travelling Time To Sibu To 2 Hours, 30 Minutes — Julaihi
Date : 19 May 2020 Source : The Borneo Post Online
Datuk Julaihi Narawi
KUCHING: The Second Trunk Road project will significantly shorten the travelling distance between Kuching and Sibu.
In stating this, Assistant Minister of Infrastructure and Ports Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi said the travelling distance to Sibu from Kuching via the existing coastal road network is 312km, taking up five hours of driving at 60km/hour on JKR R3-standard road excluding time taken for ferry crossings.
For the Pan Borneo Highway, he said the distance is about 440km from Kuching to Sibu and it would similarly take about five hours (based on design speed of 90km per hour on JKR R5-standard road).
“Whereas using the proposed Second Trunk Road (via package A and C) the drive would only take two-and-a-half hours with 225km travelled, based on the same design speed and standard as Pan Borneo Highway,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Kuching to Betong via Pan Borneo Highway, he added, is a distance of about 235km, a 2.6-hour journey based on design speed of 90km per hour (JKR R5-standard).
Table shows the travelling distance and time from Kuching to Sibu using existing coastal road network, Pan Borneo Highway and the proposed Second Trunk Road.
However, through the Second Trunk Road (via package A and B), the distance would be reduced to 142km and driving would take 1.6 hours, based on the same design speed and standard of the Pan Borneo Highway.
“Also, the proposed Second Trunk Road provides efficient connectivity by connecting the missing link between Sebuyau and Simanggang via Lingga under Package B1 and B2.
“It also provides vital link between the Coastal Road Network and Pan Borneo Highway via Roban under Package A5.”
He pointed out that over 60 per cent of Sarawak’s population are residing in regions between Kuching and Sibu, with three major population centres, namely Kuching to Samarahan, Sri Aman to Betong and Sibu to Sarikei.
As for opening up of new development corridors, Julaihi said the proposed project would serve this purpose along the coastal road network and Second Trunk Road while linking to major development corridors; namely Sama Jaya High Tech Park, Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy, Tanjung Manis Economic Growth Area and Samalaju Industrial Park.
“This ultimately creates a network of enhanced and integrated socio-economic activities,” he added.
Julaihi stressed that the Second Trunk Road project is part of the state’s long-term plan to improve the state’s network of road infrastructure, focusing on generating opportunities for socio-economic growth, new economic growth areas and development of local technical talents.
“The people staying along the coastal regions will undoubtedly benefit from increasing income and thus bring living standards up to the level of Malaysia’s wealthier states by 2030.”
He also said this would go a long way in closing the income gap between the rural and urban areas as well as alleviating poverty.
Table shows the travelling distance and time from Kuching to Betong using Pan Borneo Highway and the proposed Second Trunk Road.
“As such, I cannot imagine the reaction and frustration of our rural people if such projects are to be cancelled as proposed by Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).”
Recently, PBS president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh claimed that the proposed project was ‘redundant’ and that the money should be prioritised for rural infrastructure development.
Julaihi pointed out that frustration and anger were evident among the rural populace when construction of Batang Rambungan bridge, Batang Lupar bridge and Batang Igan bridge was cancelled by the previous federal government before being taken up by the state government.
“It is most regretted that when we need to balance the development between urban and rural areas of Sarawak, PSB proposed to cancel the construction of the Second Trunk Road,” he noted.
Julaihi added it was ‘disheartening’ that PSB spoke otherwise of the project after they were no longer part of the state government.
Wong resigned from the state cabinet as Second Finance Minister and International Trade and E-Commerce Minister in July last year after the relationship between his party PSB and other component parties of the ruling GPS became strained.
Julaihi said the Second Trunk Road project was deliberated at length during several state cabinet ministerial sessions and his ministry had been tasked to study the proposal thoroughly, covering both technical and financial aspects.
A cabinet meeting on July 26 in 2018 where the Second Trunk Road programme was decided to proceed was attended by Wong himself, Julaihi pointed out.
Furthermore, the costs of constructing the proposed Second Trunk Road would be more expensive if it is to be built at a later date, he added.
He said the Second Trunk Road project, together with the Coastal Road and the Pan Borneo Highway would be a ‘game changer’ for the state, bringing balanced development between urban and rural areas.
Also, he added, the RM6 billion proposed project would be able to allow Sarawak-led local and Bumiputera contractors and consultants to gain experience in collaborating with international or non-Sarawakian players in project management and monitoring.
“You want to be prosperous? First build a road,” said Julaihi, borrowing a quote from China.
The Second Trunk Road project serves as a catalyst for opening up new development corridors and enhances connectivity to ports and airports for export market, he said.
He added the state’s economy requires reliable infrastructure to connect supply chain and efficiently move goods and services across districts to meet its goals of improving Sarawak’s GDP by 2030.
“One of our state’s initiatives is to focus on agriculture products and that is why we really need the Second Trunk Road to be continued,” he said, pointing out that the state needed to develop its infrastructure to be on par with other states in the country.
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