KUCHING: Sarawak’s Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has announced a comprehensive masterplan to develop the Jepak area in Bintulu into a satellite town. He revealed that the plan will involve restructuring of villages and housing projects, and will be carried out in stages. He added that there will be a new administrative centre and efforts to boost local businesses and attract investments. The aim is to develop the area as a satellite town for the benefit of the people of Jepak.
The women’s wing of Jepak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) organized a meet-the-leaders gathering, which Awang Tengah attended, to discuss the plan. According to him, the Jepak by-election campaign is going well and the people are willing to attend events like this, as it creates a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of a family gathering. After the by-election, the government plans to prioritize the implementation of the development plans.
Awang Tengah, who is the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) by-election operations director, emphasized that the ruling state coalition is focused on planning for the future. He emphasized the importance of people’s support to work with the local community in implementing the development plans. When asked about Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s support for GPS in Jepak, he expressed appreciation but clarified that it does not guarantee acceptance into GPS.
GPS is comprised of PBB, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). It should be noted that PDP and PSB signed a memorandum of understanding in July to collaborate together. The Jepak by-election is currently witnessing 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 GPS assemblyman Datuk Talib Zulpilip on September 15. Jepak has a total of 22,804 voters.
