Jepak bridge renamed in honour of Sarawak icon Taib Mahmud
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced the new name during the official opening ceremony of the RM466.7 million bridge last night.
He said the state government's decision to name the bridge after Sarawak's fourth chief minister was to honour his contributions to Bintulu's development.
"If he (Abdul Taib) were still alive, he would surely be impressed by the bridge we are inaugurating tonight," he said.
According to Abang Johari, Abdul Taib made major contributions by establishing the Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA), the state agency responsible for planning and overseeing development under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) initiative, which subsequently attracted investments to the Samalaju Industrial Park area.
The late Abdul Taib, who also served as Sarawak's Head of State, passed away on Feb 21 last year.
The iconic bridge was among the development promises made by Abang Johari in 2017 during a dialogue session with the people of Bintulu, shortly after taking office.
"I promised to build an iconic bridge like the one (Golden Gate Bridge) in San Francisco. Today, I have fulfilled that promise. This bridge is not only a physical connector but also a symbol of unity and progress for the people," he said.
Abang Johari also shared a personal memory involving his late wife, Puan Sri Juma'ani Tun Tuanku Bujang, who passed away last month. She was born in Bintulu but did not live to see the completion of the bridge.
"She (Juma'ani) allowed me to serve the people wholeheartedly. Tonight, I am here with my daughter (Dayang Norjihan) to witness the opening of this bridge in memory of her sacrifice," he added.
The Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud Bridge, spanning 1.283 kilometres across the Kemena River, connects Bintulu town centre with the fast-developing Jepak area. The bridge shortens travel time between the two areas from more than 30 minutes to just a few minutes.
As a symbol of Bintulu's 'second wave' of development, it also plays a key role in opening up a new zone in the Jepak area, featuring state administrative offices, commercial centres, housing projects, and utility infrastructure such as a domestic gas pipeline.
Abang Johari said that under this second wave, Bintulu would also see the development of an Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system stretching from Bintulu to Samalaju, in line with Sarawak's vision of a low-carbon, environmentally friendly city.
Sarawak, he added, has also been recognised by the World Economic Forum as the only state in Asia listed under the Transition Industrial Cluster, positioning Bintulu as a hub for green industry and high-tech investment. - BERNAMA
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