(From left) Liwan, Masing and Abang Johari look at the model of the bridge to be built across Sungai Kapit.

KAPIT:  About 500 pupils and teachers of SK Sungai Kapit here will benefit from the construction of a new bailey bridge linking the school to Bukit Goram road.

The groundbreaking of the project was performed by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday in conjunction with his two-day working visit to Kapit.

According to Public Works Department (PWD) Kapit divisional engineer Anding Unchi, the project cost RM12 million and will take 18 months to complete.

“The project component includes building a 2-lane single carriageway bailey bridge over Sungai Kapit about 42.67 metres long,” he said.

Presently, pupils have to cross a suspension bridge to reach the school.

The suspension bridge is no longer sturdy and could pose danger to those using it.

Once completed, the bailey bridge will ease the transportation of teachers and pupils to the school apart from providing safe infrastructure, improve connectivity to the local village folks and spur development in the surrounding area.

The project will be implemented under the 11th Malaysia Plan.

The Chief Minister later visited the historical Fort Sylvia to complete his working visit here.

There he was met by Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leonard Linggi Tun Jugah who briefed him on the exhibits and some personal collections of the late Tun Jugah displayed in the fort.

The fort was built in 1880 and renamed after the wife of Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke, Rani Sylvia Brooke, in 1925.

Previously it was known as Kapit Fort.

Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang, Belaga assemblyman Liwan Lagang and Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon.



(From left) Abang Johari, Masing, Jamit, Nyabong, Nanta, Ugak (partly hidden), Chukpai, Abdul Karim and Liwan give the thumbs-upto the new bridge project.


Linggi (fourth left) discusses Fort Sylvia with Abang Johari (fourth right) as Nanta (second left), Masing (third left) and others look on.