Plan in place to develop Jepak into Bintulu satellite town

KUCHING: Sarawak has a comprehensive masterplan to develop the Jepak area in Bintulu into a satellite town, says Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

He said the plan included the restructuring of villages and housing projects, to be implemented in stages.

"There will be a new administrative centre as well as plans to boost local businesses and attract investments.

"We see that this area has a lot of potential. We are planning to develop it as a satellite town for the benefit of everyone, especially the people of Jepak," he told reporters after attending a meet-the-leaders gathering at Balai Raya Jepak on Monday (Oct 23).

The event was organised by the women's wing of Jepak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

On the Jepak by-election, Awang Tengah said the campaign was proceeding well so far.

"The people are willing to attend programmes like this, which has a relaxed atmosphere and feels like a family gathering.

"What's important is for us to explain what we want to do. After the by-election, we will continue to work to implement what was planned," he said.

Awang Tengah, who is the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) by-election operations director, added that the ruling state coalition was focusing on planning for the future.

"This is why we want the people's support, so that it will be easier for us to work with the local community in implementing development plans," he said.

Asked about Parti Sarawak Bersatu's (PSB) support for GPS in Jepak, Awang Tengah said it was appreciated.

However, he said it did not mean PSB would be accepted into GPS.

"That is a separate matter," he said.

GPS consists of PBB, Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

PDP and PSB signed a memorandum of understanding to work together in July this year.

The Jepak by-election is seeing a three-cornered contest between GPS' Iskandar Turkee, Stevenson Joseph Sumbang from Parti Bumi Kenyalang and Chieng Lea Phing from Sarawak People's Aspiration Party.

The by-election was called following the death of its GPS assemblyman Datuk Talib Zulpilip on Sept 15.

Jepak has 22,804 voters.