SERIAN: All the seven villages in Melikin within Balai Ringin constituency have been enjoying 24-hour electricity supply since last year through a RM5.2-million project under the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES).

The villages are part of the 80 per cent of Balai Ringin constituency that have benefited from RES which was implemented by Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKLW) at a cost of RM112.5 million.

The remaining 20 per cent of the area yet to be connected to the main electricity grid are Kampung Sebangkoi Mawang, Kampung Sega, Kampung Indai, Kampung Tuba, Kampung Sapak and Kampung Mentu.

“These six villages are all located in the remote area of the constituency. Nevertheless, we (government) will be hastening the RES projects to ensure 100 per cent coverage,” said Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan during the official launch of the RES project at Kampung Danau Krangas, Melikin yesterday.

He also said a series of dialogue sessions was currently held with the villagers whose land and farms would be affected by the electrification project that would involve the construction of HT/LT lines, transformers, voltage regulators, underground cable and Sesco meters. He also announced that RM10 million had been allocated by KKLW for other RES projects in Balai Ringin.

“We have received a large allocation for the RES projects and should be thankful to the Barisan Nasional (BN) for constantly looking into the welfare of the people,” said Snowdan, who was first elected as the constituency’s assemblyman in 2006.

He also said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem had always made it a priority to look into the welfare and improve the quality of life of those living in the rural areas of the state.

Besides electricity supply, he said most villages were in dire of continuous clean water supply as they now depended on the ‘blue water tanks’, rivers and gravity feed system as their source of water.

To address the perennial problem, he suggested that the whole of Balai Ringin be connected to the new and upgraded water treatment plant in Slabi, Serian.

“Currently we have a total of 188 villages in Balai Ringin and would need at least 3,000 water tanks,” said Snowdan, and disclosed that he personally had bought 800 water tanks for the villagers.

Also speaking was the village’s Tuai Rumah Luang Penguang, who on behalf of all the 26 households in the village requested that Sesco install street lamps from the Serian-Sri Aman road to their village.

“We also hope that the road leading to this village will be upgraded to provide the village folks better access in and out of the village,” he added.

Luang pledged that all of the villagers would rally behind Snowdan in the upcoming state election as he (Snowdan) had contributed a lot to the village’s development.

Among those present at the official launching ceremony were Minister of Public Utilities Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications) Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom and Serian district officer Sindi Muling.