State govt now hiring more JKR staff

KAPIT: The Sarawak Government is in the process of recruiting a total of 414 technical staff for the Public Works Department (JKR) across the state to address staff shortages, especially in rural areas.

Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas emphasised it was important to ensure the smooth implementation of development projects in Sarawak.

“Kapit is also experiencing a staff shortage issue. We are going to increase the manpower of JKR staff in Kapit. I was discussing it with the director just now.

“We hope to send additional staff by the end of the year so they can start working and implementing projects together next year,” he said during a press conference after a meeting at Komplek Kerajaan Negeri Bahagian Kapit today (August 8).

Uggah, who also serves as the Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development, stated that he would communicate the issue to the State Secretary of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki.

Meanwhile, on the withdrawal of Elaun Bertugas di Kawasan Pendalaman (EBKP), Uggah said he would convey the request to reevaluate the decision to the state secretary.

“There used to be an allowance, but I understand that it was withdrawn this year. I will bring this matter to the State Secretary, as there is a request from the ground to reconsider this decision,” he added.

On the meeting, Uggah said it was part of the ministry’s ‘turun padang’ programme, which began in Miri and continued through Bintulu, Mukah, Sibu, and today in Kapit, with plans to visit Sarikei tomorrow.

“The main objective is to gather feedback from elected representatives and implementing agencies at the division level on the status of projects implemented by JKR and various issues that hinder project implementation.

“We also want to assess the road coverage in the Kapit division. The goal is to plan a strategy to connect all roads with houses and longhouses to the main roads.

“We need this data, and we have received a briefing on some of this information,” he added.

Next, he said they would develop a plan to share with Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA), JKR, and federal Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) to coordinate a programme for project implementation.

“Indeed, in this area, there are still many villages and people that have not been connected by road,” he said.

Also present were federal Works Minister who is also the Kapit MP Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Native Law and Customs) cum Bukit Goram assemblyman Datuk Jefferson Jamit Unyat and Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Aidel Lariwoo.