Asajaya land prices likely to rise once bridge completed

February 25, 2014

Abdul Karim (fifth left) presents prizes to winners of a singing competition.

ASAJAYA: Prices of land in Asajaya are expected to rise once Samarahan Bridge is completed the soonest by next year, says Housing Assistant Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“The bridge over Batang Samarahan is already tendered out, and I know it’s going to be built this year, expected to be completed next year or 2016. With this bridge, travel from Kuching wil take only 30 minutes (previously one hour).

“And I believe the price of land in Asajaya will double or treble. The rise in land prices is seen in the past one or two years, and we can see more development coming up in Asajaya soon,” he said at a Chinese New Year dinner organised by six organisations here last Saturday night.

He said this would benefit land owners in Asajaya whose land might be acquired for development.

Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman said Asajaya area, formerly known as Nonok, is slowly becoming a suburb of Kuching due to expansion of the capital city.

The RM150 million Samarahan Bridge was announced as a special gift for the people in Samarahan Division by Infrastructure Development and Communication Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin last year.

Land affected by the bridge – to be built from Kampung Baru in Kota Samarahan across the Samarahan river until Kampung Tambey in Asajaya – have already been acquired by the govermment.

   

Presently motorists take turns to board the ferry to cross the Samarahan River, or take the longer route during low tide when travelling from Kuching to Asajaya and vice-versa.

On another matter, Abdul Karim paid tribute to the Chinese community who contributed to the development of Asajaya despite making up only 10 per cent of the population.

“I hope the unity among Malays, Chinese and Dayaks, which is very good, can be maintained. The Chinese school here, for example, created a record of sorts as it is probably the only one of its kind to have a silat association,” he said.

Kota Samarahan MP Rubiah Wang praised the Chinese community for preserving their culture and tradition.

Among those present were Asajaya district officer Mohd Rashdan Hazemi and administrative officer Suazana Busalam.