KUCHING, Dec 11 — Batu Kawah incumbent Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian should have addressed the root of the problems faced by people in his constituency rather than implementing ‘superficial projects’ for image-building and propaganda purpose, said Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen.

"Take for example, Dr Sim is the state Minister of Local Government and Housing yet not a single government flats or low or medium cost housing estate was built in Batu Kawah area in the whole of his five-year term,” said Chong at a press conference in DAP Sarawak headquarters here yesterday.

He was responding to Dr Sim’s claim of spending over RM330 million on various projects in Batu Kawah since he was elected as their assemblyman.

Chong claimed all Dr Sim did for the past five years was to spend RM3 million to repair dilapidated houses and RM562,000 for maintenance of RPR Tondong flats in the Batu Kawah constituency.

As a result, he said people were forced to purchase houses built by private developers which are now becoming unaffordable for medium and low wage earners.

Chong listed out the five major problems people in in Batu Kawah are still facing especially the traffic jam along Jalan Batu Kawa, despite Dr Sim’s promise in his 2016 election manifesto to solve the problem once elected.

Instead of solving the problem, Chong said the traffic jam now had become worse although Dr Sim had spent RM34 million for the last five years in road maintenance and upgrading.

"Road upgrading and maintenance is the job of the council, not a minister. The Minister for Local Government’s job is that of town planning. Yet, for the whole five-year term, he could not even start on any project to ease the heavy jam along Jalan Batu Kawah.

Compared with Kota Sentosa constituency, Chong said one flyover had already been completed and two more along Jalan Penrissen were reaching completion.

He said the state government’s expenditure from 2016 to 2021 totalled RM47.679 billion and each constituency should receive RM523 million if the total figure was divided among all 82 constituencies.

Chong said the RM330 million allocation claimed by Dr Sim for Batu Kawah falls short of the average RM523 million for each constituency.

He added that the frequent floods besetting the people in Batu Kawah remain unresolved despite Dr Sim claiming to have RM223 million allocated for the drainage system upgrade.

Chong also brought up the poor internet connectivity in Batu Kawah and the many areas in the constituency which did not have any internet coverage.

The Sarawak DAP chairman also refuted claims by Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) that development will not be provided to opposition-held areas by giving the example of Golden Bridge across Sarawak River, floating mosque and the new Sarawak Museum in Padungan constituency.

Meanwhile, Batu Kitang candidate Abdul Aziz Isa urged Padawan Municipal Council chairman Lo Khere Chiang to stop launching new projects and focus on the progress of abandoned or delayed projects in the constituency.

Abdul Aziz cited an example of the a new community hall at Kampung Sebuak, Jalan Landeh for which RM150,000 had been allocated but only 12 pillars could be seen put up at the site.

He said the project had been abandoned for two years and he asked whether Lo had been taking the votes from loyal supporters from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the areas for granted.

"My question to Lo is since you keep on launching new projects during this time, what about the abandoned projects?” said Abdul Aziz.

He said that only RM30 million had been allocated for development at Batu Kitang for the past five years and it seemed SUPP had been neglecting the people in the constituency.

Among those in attendance at the press conference were Pending incumbent Violet Yong and DAP N.14 Batu Kawah candidate Dr Kelvin Yii. — Borneo Post Online