Sarawak premier: Kabong to see influx of visitors when four bridges, two roads completed
BETONG, March 10 — The coastal town of Kabong is expected to receive an influx of visitors when the Sungai Krian, Sungai Saribas and two Batang Lupar bridges as well as the second trunk road and coastal highway are completed, Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said today.
He said the accessibility to Kabong and its nearby scenic Tanjung Kembang beach, like any rural and coastal areas, will be made easier with the completion of four bridges and the second trunk road and coastal highway.
“This will mean that when the bridges of Sungai Krian, Sungai Saribas, Batang Lupar 1 and Batang Lupar 2 are completed, it will take over two hours to reach Sibu from Kuching, and people from Kuching and Sibu can go to Kabong in shorter time,” he said at the closing of the Kabong International Kite Festival in Tanjung Kembang, referring to five- to six-hour journey from Kuching to Sibu on the Pan Borneo Highway.
“When you have this kind of international kite festival, more visitors will definitely come in future and Kabong may not be able to accommodate the arrival of large numbers of visitors,” he said.
Sungai Krian and Sungai Saribas are expected to be completed by this year while Batang Lupar 1 and Batang Lupar 2 are scheduled for completion next year.
The second trunk road and coastal highway, costing over RM11 billion, are also scheduled for completion next year.
Abang said Kabong has a lot to offer to the visitors, such as its culture and food.
Kabong State Assemblyman and Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Mohamad Razi Sitam, in his speech, said despite its start in 2018 that attracted participants from only 10 countries, the international kite festival has made Kabong a well-known tourist spot.
He said this year’s festival, which started from March 5, has attracted 105 participants from 39 countries, bringing economic benefits to the local community.
He said kite flying now is no longer a kampung event in Kabong, but has become a major tourism event listed under the Sarawak Tourism Board’s calendar.
“I believe that the Kabong International Kite Festival will bring fond memories to the participants and the local communities,” Razi said.
