Ba Kelalan rep urges action on delayed SSLR, rural schools and infrastructure

Borneo Post

21-05-2025

Baru welcomed the government's commitment to bridging rural-urban development gaps through projects such as the SSLR but voiced disappointment over its slow progress. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 21): Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian has raised concerns over delays in key infrastructure and education projects in his constituency, urging the Sarawak and Federal Governments to take swift and meaningful action.
Speaking during the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today in support of the Motion of Appreciation on the Yang di-Pertua Negeri address, Baru welcomed the government's commitment to bridging rural-urban development gaps through projects such as the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR), but voiced disappointment over its slow progress.
'As of March 2025, Phase 1 of the SSLR was only 45 per cent complete despite being slated for completion in November 2026.
'Unpredictable terrain and soil movements have caused delays, but I urge the authorities to ensure quality and safety are not compromised,' he said.
He also highlighted grievances from families along the SSLR alignment in Ba Kelalan who have reportedly suffered damage to their homes and have yet to receive compensation.
He said these households deserve prompt and fair redress, hence he called upon the responsible subcontractor to address these issues with urgency and empathy.
He also drew attention to the poor condition of the road from Long Kumap to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Station (CIQS) at the Ba Kelalan/Long Bawan border.
He described parts of the road as 'reduced to a muddy timber track' and 'unfit to serve as a vital link' to Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara.
'With the CIQS now operational since April 5, 2025, it is both embarrassing and detrimental to Sarawak's dignity that this critical last-mile stretch remains in such deplorable condition,' he said.
Baru urged the federal and state governments to expedite the release of an additional RM30 million needed to complement the earlier RM80 million federal allocation, first announced in 2023.
On the education front, Baru expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in completing SK Long Sukang.
Initially approved in 2009 under the 9th Malaysia Plan, the project has yet to be completed despite additional funding of RM19 million in 2017.
'The school was declared unsafe for occupation in January 2025, leaving pupils and staff in limbo. This is not only embarrassing but jeopardises the future of our children,' he said, calling on the Federal Education Ministry to urgently resolve the matter.
He also pushed for progress on the proposed SMK Long Semadoh, a project which has seen no advancement despite a 2013 land acquisition and a 2016 federal announcement of RM35 million funding.
'In the absence of a secondary school in the area, children are forced to attend distant boarding schools, exposing them to various social risks. A clear timeline is needed for this project under the 13th Malaysia Plan,' he said.
Baru also raised broader issues affecting his rural constituents, including the cumbersome process of renewing gun licences and cartridge permits, which requires applicants to travel long distances to Lawas.
'Some applicants have to wait a month just to get approval due to the District Officer's unavailability. I propose delegating this authority to Sarawak Administrative Officers in Lawas to ease the burden on rural communities,' he said.
In concluding his speech, Baru expressed concern about the future of Sarawak's youth, highlighting the challenges of underemployment and low wages.
He thus called for systemic reforms in education, particularly the promotion of digital skills and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), to prevent talent drain and uplift rural youth. ba kelalan Baru Bian DUN SSLR