MIRI: The Sarawak government is facing significant challenges in constructing roads in rural areas, particularly due to difficult terrain conditions.

Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that these challenges stem from the mountainous landscapes in areas such as Baram and problematic peat soils in other parts of the state.

As the Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD), he shared that the government has allocated RM150 million this year for road repairs, including those in rural areas affected by landslides in Baram.

"As we approach the final stages of road development, we continue to seek the most practical and advanced technologies to construct durable roads," he said during the launch of the Branch Meeting for Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) in Marudi, Telang Usan, and Mulu on Saturday.

To address these challenges, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah announced that the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) will organise an industrial building management seminar to explore suitable technologies for road construction in Sarawak's unique conditions.

"There are several new technologies, and one we are considering is the use of elevated roads, especially in highland and peatland areas," he added.

In addition to road construction, he announced that JKR has identified 24 major bridges in the Baram region requiring upgrades.

"We also plan to improve smaller bridges in these areas," he added.

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, who is also the Chairman of the Highland Development Agency (HDA), emphasised that the agency is currently overseeing 43 projects, including 25 road projects, 17 water supply projects, and one power supply project.

Of these, 16 have been completed, eight are under construction, and 19 are in the pre-contract stage. -UKASnews