KUCHING, Nov 13, 2014: Meradong state lawmaker Ting
Tze-fui reckons that Chief Minister Adenan Satem will leave "another great
legacy" if he abolishes the Rejang Bridge toll.
"It is hopefully that under the leadership of the chief
minister, the toll can be abolished very soon in very near future.
"If this becomes real, this will be another great
legacy of our chief minister to Sarawak and all Sarawakians will be thankful
and most grateful to his graciousness," Ting said when debating the State
Budget in the State Assembly today.
Ting (picture0 was obviously referring to Adenan giving allocation
of RM3 million to Chinese independent schools,
banning of racists and religious bigot from Malaya to Sarawak and
demanding a 20% rise in oil and gas royalties from the federal government.
She said the people in central region of Sarawak have
been paying exorbitant bridge toll to the Rejang Bridge concessionaire since
2006.
"The much criticised high toll rates have burdened
the motorists, especially those residing in Bintangor, Sarikei, and Sibu who
commute from Bintangor/Sarikei to Sibu vice versa regularly or daily to work,
study or trade at the other side of the said bridge.
"The farmers from Sg Mador, Tulai, Narasit and
Paradom areas who are struggling to make ends meet by sending their
agricultural products to Sibu everyday have been very much burdened by the high
toll rates," she stressed.
She added:"In the past, I had on numerous occasions
during State Assembly sittings appealed to the State Government to abolish the bridge
toll so as to ease the burden of the residents in central region of Sarawak.
"Regrettably there is no positive response from the
State Government to such appeals, thus far," she moaned.
Ting said that the people in the central region of
Sarawak are still awaiting the good news of toll abolition as promised by a
Senior Minister during past election.
"In fact the sum to be spent to take over the Rejang
Bridge is only a pittance compared to what has the State Government has in its
coffers in total.
"In view of the escalating costs of living, I do
hereby strongly urge the chief minister to kindly take the necessary steps to
abolish the bridge toll, or at the very least to review the toll rates to a
cheaper rates to lessen the burden of the people there.
"The free passage of the bridge will surely spur
faster the economic growth of the West Bank of Rejang River, Bintangor and
Sarikei," she added., stating that the people in central region would be
most grateful if Adenan could listen to their plights and appeals and make such
efforts to abolish the toll or to review the toll rates to a cheaper rate.
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