Contractor for Sibu Airport upgrading job to be announced in July

KUCHING: A contractor for the RM150 million Sibu Airport upgrading project is expected to be announced in July, once the period ends on May 20, said Sarawak's assistant minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Datuk Lee Kim Shin.

Lee said the tender period for the project started on March 29 and would end on May 20 while the upgrading works involved are expected to be completed over a 24-month period.

"The scope of work for the project will be to widen the terminal, increase service counters, expand parking services, upgrade Immigration and Customs and other support service facilities," said Lee when answering a question by Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah (BN-Nangka) at the Sarawak state assembly here on May 21.

Replying to another question raised by Andy Chua Chu Fatt (BN-Pujut), Lee said his ministry, in collaboration with the relevant agencies, was monitoring slopes at the Canada Hill in Miri, to ensure safety of homes and access roads.

He said the Public Works Department had also installed an automatic transmitting rainfall devise as part of efforts to prevent landslides from recurring, due to loose soil.

The proposed slope stabilisation work along the access road to Canada Hill had been approved by the government last year, with an allocation of RM900,000, under the Economic Stimulus Package, he said.

Meanwhile, state Housing and Rural Development minister Abdul Wahab Aziz said the government would start the water taxi services as an alternative public transport for the people of Kuching, by September.

Abdul Wahap who was replying to Abdul Rahman Junaidi (BN-Pantai Damai), said the water taxi services would not disrupt or affect the land transport services available in Kuching. -- Bernama