KUCHING, Dec 5 — Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said today he is looking forward to working closely with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi on infrastructure projects in Sarawak.

He said he wanted to speak to Ahmad Zahid, who is also the federal minister of rural and regional development, about allocating more funds for rural projects in the state.

“We also have some proposals on how to speed up the implementation of our rural projects,” Uggah, who is also the state minister of infrastructure and port development, told reporters.

He said he had discussed with the previous minister of rural and regional development, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, on the implementation of infrastructure projects in the rural areas.

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“We believe we need to brief Ahmad Zahid on the various issues that Sarawak is facing in implementing the rural projects, which require more funding from the federal government,” he said, adding that the state government wants more rural roads to be implemented by the ministry of rural and regional development.

He said based on a study, the state needs to build at least 2,000km of new rural roads to connect interior and remote longhouses and villages by 2030, adding that this will certainly need a substantial amount of funds.

Uggah said he also wanted to work closely with Nanta on federally-funded infrastructure projects.

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“We are expecting to work with him in the same very warm and friendly manner that we had forged with the previous works minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof on ways to improve connectivity via more federal roads,” he added.

The deputy premier said high on his wish list is to ensure that the state Public Works Department (JKR) will be accorded the status of a technical department and be empowered as the sole authority to implement federal-funded infrastructure projects in the state, instead of the federal JKR.

He said he will raise with Nanta that Sarawak needs more funds to build more roads to catch up with the peninsula.

Later, Uggah, accompanied by the Infrastructure and Port Development’s permanent secretary Chew Chee Yaw visited the construction sites of Batang Rambungan, Sungai Belian and Sungai Rayu bridges in Kuching Division.

They also checked on the progress of the construction and upgrading works of the Jalan Matang Baru and on the five roundabouts along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway.