MIRI: Residents in the Bario, Long Banga and Long Peluan areas now enjoy safer and smoother travel access following the completion of the construction of the Sungai Bale Bridge, which is a Bailey bridge worth RM2.7 million in Ulu Baram.
Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala said the construction of the bridge was the result of the Sarawak Government's commitment to ensure that the people in the interior region enjoy safer, more comfortable and resilient infrastructure facilities.
"The working visit of Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah together with senior officials of the ministry and the Public Works Department (JKR) to Bario last year was the starting point for various important decisions that are now being implemented for the benefit of the people in the rural areas.
"The journey of more than 370 kilometres from Miri to Bario via logging roads takes almost two days gives a clear picture of the challenges faced by the rural communities as well as the need to improve infrastructure facilities in this area," he said.
He said this when representing Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah during the inauguration ceremony of the Sungai Bale Bridge in Ulu Baram, on Wednesday.
According to the Mulu Assemblyman, the steel Bailey bridge directly benefits 19 longhouses and eight government departments and agencies in the Bario area, in addition to six longhouses and villages and four government departments and agencies in Long Banga and Long Peluan.
Datuk Gerawat said the Sungai Bale Bridge, which was completed in March 2026, is the first of three Bailey Bridges supplied by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) to meet urgent needs in the interior regions of Sarawak.
"The other two are the Sungai Benuang Bridge in Long Jeeh which is currently under construction at a cost of RM1.9 million while the Sungai Bunau Bridge in Long Tebangan will be built at a cost of RM2.2 million," he said.
According to Datuk Gerawat, the bridge is a link to economic opportunities, education, health services and social relations of the local community.
In a related development, he said more than 20 road upgrading projects involving more than 400 kilometres of routes had been implemented in Ulu Baram through Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA) and the Highland Development Agency (HDA) at a cost of more than RM1.2 billion.
In addition, the over RM3 billion Jalan Miri-Marudi-Mulu-Long Panai-Long Lama project that is currently being implemented is expected to act as a catalyst for development as well as opening up access to the community in the Apoh-Tutoh and Baram areas.
Also present were Permanent Secretary to the Ministry for Infrastructure and Port Development Datu Chiew Chee Yaw, JKR Sarawak Deputy Director Wisil Lichok and Miri Division Resident Galong Luang. -UKASnews
