Rural Baram seeks RM2b for road, solar upgrades

KUCHING: Improving road connectivity remains the top priority for rural Baram, as better access would bring improvements in healthcare, livelihoods and economic opportunities, said Telang Usan assemblyman Datuk Dennis Ngau.

He said better roads would naturally improve access to healthcare, reduce transportation-related costs and strengthen economic opportunities for rural communities.

“My priority is the road connectivity, the upgrading of the solar system, and if these things come into place, the rest will come in naturally. The economy will increase, the livelihood of the people will be there,” he told Sarawak Tribune.

Dennis said the state government had taken over more than 5,000 kilometres of former logging roads in rural Sarawak, with about 2,500 kilometres located in Ulu Baram, covering areas within Telang Usan and Mulu.

He urged the federal government to provide long-term funding to upgrade the roads, including almost 500 small log bridges and culverts that require repairs.

“For 2027, I request for an allocation of RM1 billion to upgrade our roads and RM1 billion for us to upgrade the solar system in my area, in rural Baram. Let it be the focus,” he said.

Dennis said the allocation could be provided progressively on a yearly basis to ease the financial burden while ensuring continuous upgrading works.

He said improved connectivity would also allow rural residents to transport and market agricultural produce, including oil palm, vegetables and other crops, while making access to healthcare and other essential services easier.

“We are not asking for highway roads. What is important is the connectivity is there,” he said.

On electricity, Dennis said the existing solar systems in some villages are no longer sufficient to provide reliable power throughout the day, with batteries sometimes lasting only two to three hours at night when there was insufficient sunlight.

He also called for the solar system at Long Bedian to be upgraded from its existing solar-generator hybrid system to a solar-hydrogen system, which he said could provide a more sustainable power source as the population and development in the area grew.

Dennis said discussions had already been held with relevant parties on the proposal, adding that a similar system had been operating at Klinik Long Loyang for about three years.

He said the Long Bedian model could eventually be replicated in other villages currently dependent on solar systems under the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (SARES).

“If we can do it in Long Bedian, the rest of the villages will be easier because they are smaller than Long Bedian,” he said.

Dennis also urged the Prime Minister and senior Federal leaders to visit Baram and travel by land along the former logging roads to better understand the challenges faced by rural communities.

He cited Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas’ recent visit by road as an example of how first-hand experience could provide a clearer understanding of the situation on the ground.

“I want PMX or his top officer to travel along the road with us, so that they can understand why we tell them that it is a very, very urgent matter to look into this,” he said.

Dennis stressed that rural communities in Baram are also Malaysians who contributed to the country’s economy and deserved adequate attention in infrastructure development.

He said better road connectivity and reliable electricity would provide the foundation for improvements in livelihoods, business activities and access to essential services across rural Baram.