news

Better days ahead for rural areas under Sares, Sawas projects – Dr Rundi

SARIKEI: About 95 per cent of rural areas in the state are expected to enjoy efficient basic utilities and telecommunication coverage in the next five years through the new initiatives adopted by the state government. Public Utilities Minister Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom stated this during a press conference after the official launching of the month-long state-level national flag (Jalur Gemilang) flying campaign in conjunction with this year’s National Day celebration at the civic centre here yesterday In that respect, Dr Rundi, who represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to officiate at the event, said the state government had adopted the Sarawak Alternative Electrification Scheme (Sares) to complement the existing Rural Electrification Scheme (RES) and Sarawak Alternative Water Supply Scheme (Sawas) to extend these basic utilities to the rural folks. Similar attention would be given to ensure people in rural areas enjoy efficient telecommunication services, he added. As huge funds are needed for the implementation of Sares, Sawas and extending efficient telecommunication coverage to rural areas, the state government hoped to be able to source the funding from the federal government apart from the state’s coffers, he said. For implementation of Sares projects, he said his ministry had been allocated RM78 million for this year, adding though it had been agreed that the funding was to be shared equally between the state and federal governments, only the portion pledged by the former had been received. Following the launching of Sares last June, all semi-urban areas and 95 per cent of rural areas would be connected to the main grid in five years’ time, Dr Rundi added. He also said presently about 80 per cent of semi-urban areas and 37 per cent of rural areas had been connected to the main grid. Similar to the strategy adopted for Sares, Sawas projects are to expedite extension of treated water supply to rural areas as the ministry does not have to wait for the construction of road to facilitate its delivery, Dr Rundi explained, adding if they had to wait for the road to be constructed it would take 50 more long years to bring treated water to rural areas. “We will construct ‘stand-alone’ water treatment plants in certain areas, especially where there are schools,” he said in citing an example of a special feature under Sawas. He also mentioned that his ministry had an allocation of RM741 million to implement water supply projects in the state, which mainly involved replacing old asbestos cement pipes. To extend telecommunication services to rural areas, his ministry had requested for an allocation of RM550 million from Malaysian Communication Multimedia Commission, he disclosed. And to ensure optimum result, his ministry would adopt the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) to implement all projects, he said, adding Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), MCMC and relevant agencies were required to play a major role in Sares, telecommunication projects and water supply respectively. During the function, Dr Rundi presented Jalur Gemilang to various government agencies, non-governmental organisations and local community leaders. Among those present were Assistant Minister for Workforce Development and Training Datu Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister for Arts and Culture Datuk John Sikie Tayai, Assistant Minister for Rural Economy (Interior areas) and Plantation Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Repok assemblyman Dato Sri Huang Tiong Sii, Sarikei MP Andrew Wong Ling Biu, other assemblymen, heads of various departments and community leaders.

news

216 rural water supply projects completed

TO date, 216 rural water supply projects (BALB) under National Key Result Areas (NKRA) programmes for rural water supply (2010-2012) have been completed and another 261 are at various stages of implementation. Public Utilities Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, in his winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly yesterday, revealed that under the programme it was expected that about 89,000 households would benefit from the projects. He also said by the end of this year, the number of beneficiaries would be around 13,000 households, increasing to 50,000 next year and 89,000 households in 2013. “The state is allocated some RM1.61 billion to implement the BALB (Projek Bekalan Air Luar Bandar) under the NKRA programmes involving a total of 477 projects,” he said. The Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister also disclosed that the government would implement another 30 water supply projects at a cost of RM109.75 million under a special fund. “To date, 24 projects have been completed while six projects are at various stages of implementation,” he continued. Touching on water supply in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) area, Awang Tengah said the development of Phase I Stage I water supply works to coverSamalajuIndustrial Park,SamalajuNewTownshipand nearby villages such as Kampung Kuala Nyalau, Nyalau Tengah, and Ulu Nyalau in Bintulu Division had been completed. In order to meet the increasing water demand in SamalajuIndustrial Park, he said the government was also implementing Phase I Stage II of the project which involved the construction of an 80-megalitre-per-day treatment plant, a five-megalitre high rise tank and associated facilities. Awarded in October this year, he said the project is scheduled for completion by April 2013. Awang Tengah also highlighted the need to develop a new raw water source in Samalaju in addition to the existing raw water supply from Sika Reservoir to ensure adequate and reliable water supply to meet requirements of the various industries. “With regard to the long term supply of water in Tanjung Manis and the surrounding areas, a feasibility study shall be carried out to obtain raw water supply from Batang Rajang,” he added. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11/22/216-rural-water-supply-projects-completed/#ixzz1fuVcOAEX

news

Kampung Wi-Fi project a boon for teachers

SIBU: Hamdi Najdi who teaches at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kampung Bahagia Jaya, Jalan Teku, near here believes he has been able to improve delivery in class since last year. This is because the school, which has an enrolment of 500 students and 40 teachers, has been enjoying ‘wireless-fidelity’ (Wi-Fi) broadband service after Kampung Bahagia Jaya was selected to be Sarawak’s first Wi-Fi kampung in May last year. Hamdi, who is also the senior assistant for student affairs, said teachers and students at it now could access the Internet with ease. The service was provided by the Malaysian Communications and Multi-Media Commission (MCMC) through a public-private sector initiative that involved expertise from Pernec Paypoint Sdn Bhd. With the service now available, Hamdi said the teachers could access the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) online which enabled uploading/downloading of data electrionically. “Now, everything is at one’s fingertips. Teachers can find information fast, follow the latest developments in the education field and avail learning aids to improve students’ performance. “Besides this, the project has also brought Internet and ICT facilities to the doorsteps of locals,” he told Bernama here yesterday. The project was launched by Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim. There are 500-odd families in the kampung. Meanwhile, the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman Jamilah Dolah said the project was well received by the people in Kampung Bahagia Jaya especially the youths. She said the PTA planned to build a Wi-Fi kiosk within the coverage range to enable the kampung’s residents to access the facility more easily. “At present, because of the limited coverage range, many of the residents gather outside the school’s gates late in the afternoon and evenings to enjoy the facility,” she said. She urged MCMC to extend the radius of the Wi-Fi coverage so as to make it convenient for the residents to enjoy the facility. Besides Kampung Bahagian Jaya, four similar projects have been implemented in Sarawak – Rumah Panjang Guntol and Rumah Changgan in Julau, Kampung Bunga Raya and Nanga Mendamit in Limbang. The initiative is an effort by the government to produce a knowledgeable society and bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas. Last week, speaking in Kuala Klawang, Negeri Sembilan, Rais said the government would expedite Kampung Wi-Fi projects following the initial projects being hugely successful. Meanwhile, Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said the high-speed broadband penetration rate in Malaysia stood at 57 per cent early this month and was projected to reach 60 per cent by the end of the year. — Bernama http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=112603

news

Testing of Bakun Dam turbines to begin soon

Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd environment manager Ten Wuan Ping said the impoundment of water at the dam — which began on Oct 13, 2010 — is ahead of schedule. “We are going to test the first two of the eight turbines installed and by July, it will generate income through the sale of electricity,” he said during a recent joint briefing on Bakun with the Kapit Resident’s Office. Heads of government departments and agencies, community leaders as well as representatives from non-governmental organisations attended the briefing. Ten explained the safety features of the 205-metre high concrete face rockfill dam, which is the second highest in the world after the Shuibuya Dam in China at 233 metres. “We have installed 33 safety devices connected to the main control room, which is closely monitored 24 hours,” he said. Besides clean electricity generation for high power consumption industries like aluminium smelting, Ten said the Bakun Dam would also help to prevent flooding in areas such as Sibu. Once at full capacity, the eight turbines have a capacity to generate 2,400 MW of electricity. http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=112675

news

24-door longhouse to get micro hydro project

A 5 kilowatt (kW) turbine would be installed to generate sufficient power to light up the longhouse. Resident Ajit Asun, 55, is looking forward to the brighter days ahead. “I hope this micro hydro project will solve our electricity woes. Right now we use generator set, but the cost of diesel is very expensive and so is the transport of fuel,” he said. Work on the RM120,000 joint project is scheduled to begin after Gawai and expected to be completed in six to 10 months. Yesterday, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by residents of the 24-door longhouse and the Rotary Club of Kuching. Tuai Rumah Mejang Sadan represented the longhouse, while the club was represented by secretary Ann Panai and grant chairman Rotary District 2210 Patrick Panai. Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office Larry Sng witnessed the signing ceremony. http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=112412

news

Sarawak Energy: Mobile app for customer care in the offing

KUCHING: Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) through its Customer Care Centre (CCC) will introduce its own mobile application for convenience of customers. According to group retail department manager Christina Lai the application, which is expected to be launched this June, would allow SEB clients to check their billing status, as well as to report technical and other related issues with regard to SEB services. “Customers will have a better platform to lodge reports as they can attach photos directly from their smartphones via the app and share locations of their reports too,” she said during SEB CCC media briefing at Wisma Sesco near Jalan Demak here yesterday. Lai added that the mobile app was still in development phase and with its introduction soon, SEB’s customer care and service would be further improved. She also disclosed that another call centre would be set up in Miri by October, adding that the facility would double as a disaster recovery hub for SEB. “Our CCC is constantly improving, where unnecessary processes and forms have been ditched to ensure fasterresponse to complaints brought forth by our clients.” The SEB CCC was established in 2012 to further improve the group’s public service delivery. Prior to the setup, SEB personnel had to attend to the calls only via the ‘hunting-line’, while there were different numbers according to different offices. “This (old system) led to further confusion. As such, the CCC was set up to cater for the needs of the public in a more timely and organised manner,” she added. The E-service, which currently has 7,609 registered SEB clients, was introduced in Sept 9 2013, attending to various customers’ requirements via online such as bill inquiries, requests of online copies of bills as well as feedback.At present, SEB is handling more than 600,000 accounts — 84 per cent of which comprises domestic users, 14 per cent commercial users, 0.2 per cent industrial users, and 1.3 per cent for public lighting. The media briefing yesterday was also attended by SEB’s retail department vice president Lau Kim Swee and its corporate communication manager Ahadiah Zamhari.

news

SEB nabs ‘energy saving’ firm using tampered meter

KUCHING: Acting on public tip-off, Sarawak Energy Berhad dispatched a meter inspection team to check an ‘energy saving’ company that used tampered Sesco meter in a demonstration at a shopping mall in Kota Samarahan. The company is actually promoting an energy saving product and used tampered Sesco meters to compare the energy saved. SEB’s auxiliary police and witnessed by inspectors from the Ministry of Public Utilities joined in the operation. The business operator was confronted by the meter inspection team at the shopping mall. He was asked to explain the purpose of the demonstration and the meter seized. A police report was also made so that they could investigate further. The business operator said he bought the meter from a middleman for RM100 and gave his details (middleman) who would then be called for further investigation. “Sesco has not given any authorisation or certified any such ‘energy saving’ device. The meter used by the energy saving company has been tampered with, as all the security seals have been broken. “This may cause the meter not to register the actual consumption used in the demo. Therefore, the reading from the tampered meter can be misleading and customers will think that the energy saving device is effective,” said a Sesco spokesperson in a press release. Sesco would like to remind the public that it is illegal to use Sesco meter for other purpose. The public can identify whether the meter belongs to Sesco by looking at the nameplate. All Sesco meters carry the ‘Property of Sesco’ printed on the nameplate. The public should not trust any person selling Sesco meters to avoid being sued in a civil suit. The spokesperson also said that Sesco meters only could be removed by authorised Sesco personnel. Sesco receives encouraging response through its power theft hotline (082-443535) from the public who provided many information related to power theft. Most of this information has led Sesco to the discovery of genuine power theft cases. Sesco would like to thank the public for this and urged those who have power theft information to report to the power theft hotline or email customercare@sarawakenergy.com.my. All information is kept strictly confidential.

news

Longhouse folk receive water tanks

BINTULU: Seventy-three families from four longhouses here have received 32 water tanks from Hormat Pasifik Sdn Bhd and Grand Perfect Sdn Bhd. These longhouses are Lunsa, Ansingan, To and Jemat. The water tanks with a capacity of 400 gallons each are part of the companies’ community projects to reach out to rural folk. Hormat Pasifik and Grand Perfect are subsidiary companies of the KTS Group. http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=112396

news

Clean water supply by 2013

MARUDI:  Dwellers of  longhouses along Poyut/Lubok Nibong Road will enjoy clean water by year 2013 with the completion of the laying of a pipeline from Marudi water treatment plant in 2012. Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau Jok said  presently some of his constituents obtained water for bathing and drinking from streams and the nearby monsoon drain during the dry spell. Dennis appealed to the Iban community and community leaders in his area to support the Barisan Nasional government, and ignore the lies of the opposition in rural areas. He was speaking at the closing ceremony of an Info Programme 1Malaysia Community at Rumah Randie, Sg Brit about 33 km from here yesterdaly. He said the BN government had upgraded the livelihood of the people of Baram by encouraging them to plant high-yielding rubber trees. He urged the people of Poyut/Lubok Nibong to unite for strength. Among those who spoke were Baram information chief Joseph James and TR Councillor Randi, chairman of Sg Brit Info Community 1 Malaysia. Present were Penghulu Changgai and 33 longhouse chiefs. At the function, Dennis performed the earthbreaking ceremony for Sg Brit’s the new multipurpose hall. Read more:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11/29/clean-water-supply-by-2013/#ixzz1fuWItPFM

news

RM235 juta untuk pelaksanaan pelbagai projek di Song: Shafie

SONG: Kerajaan telah memperuntukkan RM235 juta kepada Song (Katibas) di bawah Bidang Keberhasilan Utama Negara (NKRA) untuk pelaksanaan pelbagai jenis projek di sini. Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal berkata hanya kerajaan pimpinan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang mampu melaksanakaan pembangunan secara berperingkat-peringkat kepada penduduk di luar bandar seperti daerah Song. “Kita (BN) berjanji dan kita menepati janji kita. Kebanyakan projek pembangunan ini masih di peringkat pelaksanaan. “Kita tidak pernah memberikan janji kosong kepada rakyat seperti yang didakwa oleh pihak pembangkang,” katanya ketika merasmikan Majlis Pelancaran Projek Membina dan Menyiapkan Jalan Song-Sipan/SK Temalat di Balai Raya Song, di sini semalam. Hadir sama Ahli Parlimen Kapit Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, calon BN DUN N.55 Katibas Datuk Ambrose Blikau Enturan dan isteri beliau Datin Marie Theresa. Shafie berkata kerajaan sentiasa prihatin dan memahami masalah yang dihadapi oleh penduduk luar bandar seperti di Sabah dan Sarawak. “Tetapi kita harus faham, keadaan logistik di sini adalah punca mengapa kita tidak dapat mempercepatkan projek-projek pembangunan di sini. Pelbagai aspek perlu dikaji dan diambil kira sebelum pelaksanaan pembangunan dilakukan. “Malah, masalah pengangkutan juga menjadi penyebab kenapa kita tidak dapat mempercepatkan pembangunan di sini. Kita memerlukan masa yang agak lama untuk membawa bahab-bahan binaan ke sini,” katanya. Beliau juga menyeru agar rakyat di luar bandar sabar menunggu pelaksanaan semua projek pembangunan yang telah dijanjikan oleh kerajaan. “Di Katibas ini, kerajaan telah membelanjakan sebanyak RM 1.1 juta untuk projek bekalan air di mana tujuh daripadanya telah siap dan sebanyak 55 rumah panjang telah menerima bekalan elektrik di bawah Rural Electricity Supply (RES) yang menelan belanja sebanyak RM1.6 juta,” katanya. Dalam pada itu, beliau turut menasihati para penduduk setempat agar sentiasa mengekalkan keharmonian serta semangat perpaduan yang telah wujud di kalangan penduduk setempat. “Kejayaan utama Malaysia ialah bukan sekadar membawa kemajuan dari segi infrastruktur untuk rakyat, malah kita di sini berjaya mengekalkan perpaduan serta keharmonian hidup walaupun terdiri daripada masyarakat berbilang kaum. “Adalah penting untuk kita mengekalkan semangat perpaduan yang telah wujud dalam kehidupan seharian kita pada masa ini untuk kebaikan generasi masa akan datang. Dan sokonglah calon BN, yang merupakan jambatan di antara rakyat dengan  kerajaan bagi membolehkan kerajaan terus menyalurkan lebih banyak pembangunan di sini,” katanya. Beliau turut merasmikan majlis pecah tanah untuk Jalan Song-Sipan/ SK Temalat yang terletak berdekatan dengan  Balai Bomba Song di Jalan Sungai Chapi. Turut hadir Ahli Parlimen Putatan Datuk Marcos M. Mojigoh, Timbalan Residen Selamat Jati Yanjah, Timbalan Walikota Kaunselor Jefferson Jamit, Temenggung Datuk Kenneth Kanyan dan Pegawai Daerah Song Galong Luang. http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=118225