KAPIT (June 27): The Sarawak government will take over about 1,700km of logging roads in Kapit and upgrade them in stages over the next five to six years, with the roads to be opened for public use free of charge, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the state Cabinet had approved the move to improve connectivity for rural communities, many of whom currently rely on privately owned logging roads that require permission from timber companies and, in some cases, payment of fees.
“From Kapit alone, there are 1,700 kilometres of logging roads. The Sarawak Cabinet has decided that we will take over all these logging roads.
“We will upgrade them in phases over the next five to six years. Once they are taken over, the people can use these roads free of charge.
“There will be no toll,” he said during the Sarawakku Sayang 2026 programme here.
Abang Johari said logging roads have long served as the only land access for many longhouses in the interior, but their use often depends on the goodwill of logging concessionaires.
“Sometimes the people have to seek permission from the logging companies and, in certain cases, they are charged to use the roads.
“This has created difficulties, especially for those living in remote longhouses,” he said.
He said upgrading the roads would strengthen connectivity between rural settlements and the state’s network of federal and state highways, complementing major infrastructure projects such as the Pan Borneo Highway and the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road.
The initiative, he added, is part of the state’s broader strategy to improve rural accessibility while supporting long-term socio-economic development.
Abang Johari said Sarawak’s strong financial position has enabled the state to undertake large-scale infrastructure investments.
“Thank God, over the last six years, our state revenue has doubled compared to when I first took office. This gives us the means to upgrade and take over these logging roads,” he said.
He added that the move reinforces the state’s policy of converting logging roads into public roads under state administration, allowing them to be gazetted and systematically maintained using public funds.
Also present were Kapit MP Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi and State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki. Source: BorneoPost
