More than 1,700 families in the rural areas of Sarawak will have piped water via a gravity feed system by Gawai Day this year.
The water supply programme is being carried out by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development in collaboration with the armed forces and the Health Department under Blue Ocean Strategy 3.
Army chief General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said today that the RM5.2 million programme, which was started early this year, involved 37 locations, including in Limbang, Kanowit and Bau.
Two projects under the programme had been completed, at Kampung Sungai Buru and Kampung Sungai Empassa in Serian, he told reporters at Kampung Bunan Gega near here.
Work was being carried out in Kapit and Sri Aman while projects for the other areas would be started soon, Zulkifeli said.
Under the Blue Ocean Strategy, the armed forces are also involved in building houses for the poor and constructing roads in the rural areas.
Zulkifeli said the armed forces had nearly completed contructing a 76km road between Ba’kalalan and Long Luping, but work was being disrupted by frequent rain.
“As a cost effective measure, we rent equipment and machinery from the locals besides employing them to help build the roads,” he said.
— Bernama