Zahid: Our Visits Not Political Gimmicks

Passengers alight from the vehicles so that the 4WD vehicles can go through the muddy and slippery road.


MIRI: The Barisan Nasional (BN) Government at the federal level does not consider the frequent visits by federal ministers and other high ranking officials from Kuala Lumpur to the state recently as ‘seasonal’ visits.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid clarified that the term ‘season Visit’ does not exist as far as the BN federal administration is concerned.

The federal administration’s only aim, he said, is to bring the agenda of total development to the people, particularly to the states of Sarawak and Sabah.

Speaking at SK Long Luping in Ba’Kelalan on Wednesday, Zahid stressed that his second working visit to the Lun Bawang highlands had nothing to do with election gimmicks as claimed by the opposition parties.

“I’m here (Ba’ Kelalan) for the second time, not because of the state election, but with a sincere heart to help the rural folks in this constituency,” he remarked.

Zahid commented that the Roads Upgrading Project under the Royal Malaysian Armed Forces (RAMD)’s Jiwa Murni programme had demonstrated the army’s commitment to serve the rural people in Ba’ Kelalan.

“RAMD does involve in politics. They are only looking at the effectiveness of the project to bring total benefit to the people,” he remarked.

Zahid reminded the rural people in Ba’ Kelalan not to be easily manipulated by the opposition parties.

The opposition parties, he said, were only good at criticising the BN Government’s effort and did not have the true desire to help the people.

“The current project initiated by the RAMD has no connection with politics. The success of this project will determine Ba’ Kelalan’s greater future prospect in terms of social and economic benefits,” he remarked.

More than 5,000 Lun Bawang folks from 40 villages in Ba’ Kelalan will benefit from the upgrading of the roads by end of this year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak had granted a special allocation to the RMAD for the implementation of the project.

Started in September last year, the RAMD had taken the challenge to upgrade 75km of roads from Lawas to Ba’ Kelalan, including the construction of 10 Bailey bridges, at a total cost of RM52.2 million.

At the moment, the first phase of project with the construction of four Bailey bridges has been completed, involving some 35 army personnel from the 5 SKN RAJD (Royal Engineer Regiment) in Kota Kinabalu.

For the second phase, construction works are progressing according to schedule since early this month and Zahid expects the bailey bridges to be completed by November this year.

For the roads upgrading project, he said the current rainy season is hampering the efforts and delaying the works. However, he assured that construction and repair works will start immediately after the rainy season.

The journey via the existing timber roads normally takes between six to 10 hours. Sometimes, vehicles can be stranded for days depending on the road condition.

The muddy and slippery mountainous roads, particularly along the 75km stretch from Ba’ Kelalan to Lawas, pose a danger to vehicles. Even so, the people have no choice but to take the risk by travelling along the road to nearby schools, villages or getting the necessary supplies from Lawas.

Joining the Defence Minister to Ba’ Kelalan were the MP for Lawas, Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Haji Mohd Naroden Hj Majais, Ba’ Kelalan Assemblyman Nelson Balang Rining, Army Deputy Chief, General Datuk Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, and Army Chief Engineer Brigadier General Datuk Abdul Nasser Ahmad.

Eastern Times BY NORNI MAHADI 16 April 2010