(Kuching, 20th) Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah disclosed that the Sarawak Land and Survey Department still requires RM28.96 billion for land acquisition for 792 projects.
As the Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development, he stated that these funds will be used to support 667 state government projects (totaling RM22.04 billion) and 125 federal government projects (totaling RM6.9192 billion).
Awang Tengah noted today in his departmental summary at the Sarawak Assembly that the government's commitment to completing land acquisition within six months depends on the funding allocation and availability from the implementing agencies.
He said that as of October 31st this year, a total of 1,449 projects requiring approved land acquisition have been identified since 2018.
“Out of these, 657 projects have received funding of RM1.37 billion. This includes 473 Sarawak government projects with funding of RM950.12 million and 184 federal government projects with funding of RM420.84 million.”
Awang Tengah stated that major projects involving land acquisition that have been or are being implemented include the Second Trunk/Coastal Road, Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR), Pan Borneo and Northern Coastal Highway (NCH), telecommunication towers, and transmission lines by Sarawak Energy Berhad.
“These projects aim to provide a more planned, systematic, and efficient network of road and telecommunication infrastructure to enhance connectivity between urban and rural areas in Sarawak.”
He noted that for the Second Trunk/Coastal Road project, the state government allocated RM220 million, enabling the Land and Survey Department to complete land acquisition of 255.6 kilometers length.
For the 73.8-kilometer-long Pan Borneo Highway project, he mentioned that the Land and Survey Department requires an allocation from the federal government of RM194.45 million for land acquisition.
“Failure to allocate these funds has delayed the originally scheduled road construction start in November 2024.”
Awang Tengah also mentioned that RM300 million has been allocated for the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) project, with the 122-kilometer land acquisition expected to be completed by the end of the year, and the remaining 275.5 kilometers to be finished by 2025.
Regarding the Northern Coastal Highway project, he noted that a RM20 million allocation allowed for the acquisition of 6 kilometers of land in 2023, with the remaining 82.7 kilometers still needing RM140 million.
As part of efforts to expand Sarawak's telecommunication network, he revealed that since 2017, the State Planning Authority has approved 1,172 tower sites requiring a total allocation of RM14.2 million.
“As of October 31st this year, RM11.4 million has been allocated for the acquisition of 449 approved telecommunication tower sites.
“Land acquisition for 244 tower sites, covering an area of 13.93 hectares, has been completed at a total cost of RM4.1 million. The land acquisition for the remaining 205 telecommunication tower sites is expected to be completed by 2025.”
He stated that the land acquisition for Sarawak Energy Berhad's transmission lines involves 35 projects, covering an area of 3,131 hectares, with an acquisition cost of approximately RM351.4 million.
“Among these, 20 projects have completed land acquisition, covering an area of 710 hectares, with compensation amounting to RM103.9 million.”
He added that the land acquisition for the remaining 15 projects is expected to be completed by 2025.
Awang Tengah called on all implementing agencies of the state and federal governments to ensure adequate funding is provided and allocated promptly to the Land and Survey Department to complete the land acquisition process.