‘Batang Rajang Bridge to have higher vertical clearance’

SIBU: The Sarawak government has approved the vertical clearance (air draft) of 26m for the proposed Batang Rajang Bridge project.

Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi, in announcing this, said the proposed vertical clearance for the bridge was initially 20m.

He said the Sarawak government decided to reconsider the plan, after the Sarawak and Sabah Ship Owners Associat ion, Sarawak Shipping Association, and Sibu Shipyards Association had expressed their concern that the 20m vertical clearance could restrict the passage of larger ships to Sibu and beyond.

He said the decision was made after a dialogue held between the government and the associations last year.

“When these associations appealed that they needed a higher vertical clearance, it was agreed that this (clearance height would) be increased by 6m – from 20m to 26m.

“They are the ones who are very concerned about the growth of the industry, so we do listen, we do care

When these associations appealed that they needed a higher vertical clearance, it was agreed that this (clearance height would) be increased by 6m – from 20m to 26m.

and we do consider the needs of the industry.

“We want the shipping industry to be one of the sectors contributing to the economic growth of Sarawak in the future,” he pointed this out to reporters during a press conference at Wisma Sanyan here yesterday.

However, Julaihi said the approval was not ‘ a blanket approval’ – it could be lower over some rivers depending on the number of ships plying them.

He noted that for the Kuala Rajang route, where the bridge would be built, the Marine Traffic and Risk Analysis (MTRA) Study had identified 15 cargo/oil tanker ships plying regularly there.

“The ‘ Oriental Glory’ and ‘Danum 68’ will be totally restricted to navigate under the bridge if Batang Rajang Bridge were to be built with a vertical clearance of 20m above the ‘Mean Higher High Water’ ( MHHW), as with other bridges previously constructed,” he pointed out.

According to Julaihi, the proposed Batang Rajang Bridge spanning about 1.2km, is a component of works in one of the packages under Coastal Road Network Connectivity programme, the ‘ Proposed Construction and Completion of Pasi Road to Sibu/ Tanjung Manis Road’.

The project was launched by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on April 29 last year, during the ‘ Sejiwa Senada’ programme at Meradong in Sarikei Division.

Construction works on the bridge are expected to commence in the second quarter of this year, and would take about four years to reach completion.

Julaihi regarded the Pasi Road, linking Sarikei with Tanjung Manis, as a part of the ‘missing link’ along the coastal road in Sarawak.

“Pasi Road is about 17km, and it involves the construction of one bridge – the Batang Rajang Bridge,” he said, adding that once completed, this would serve as a vital link for the coastal road network in that it would reduce the travelling time between Sarikei and Tanjung Manis and therefore, facilitate the movement of people, goods and services between Tanjung Manis and other major towns and districts across Sarawak.

Julaihi also expressed his hope that this would encourage the opening up of more land to spur commercial, agriculture, tourism and other developments in the area.

At the moment, the travelling time along the 140km route between Sarikei and Tanjung Manis via Sibu, is about two hours and 30 minutes.

Upon completion, the Pasi Road would reduce the distance to only 50km, and cut the travelling time to 45 minutes.

Earlier, Julaihi held a dialogue with various local government department heads and members of the Sarawak and Sabah Ship Owners Association, Sarawak Shipping Association, and Sibu Shipyards Association.

Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Assistant Minister of Coastal Road