SMC chairman Clarence Ting

SIBU (Dec 27): Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting foresees that transportation issues will remain the local authority’s main challenge for next year.

“Next year, there are two things on the top of my mind – number one is lorry parking. Lorry drivers transporting (goods) from one place to another coming to Sibu town currently have no place to park.

“Number two – the bus terminal (at Jalan Pahlawan) is too small already. So, we want to push for a new bus terminal.

“We foresee there will be more bus companies being formed in Sarawak, but then, our bus terminal is just too small,” he said.

Ting told reporters this at the launch ceremony of Wang Residences at Star Mega Mall here yesterday.

Elaborating on the lorry parking issue, he disclosed that he had received complaints from residents about lorries parked illegally at residential areas.

He said SMC is studying the possibility of using the road shoulders for lorry parking as a temporary measure.

“There is a piece of land along Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi, which the (state) Ministry of Transport has identified.

“So they (ministry) want the council to take over and develop that piece of land,” he added.

In a recent meeting with Kapit bus operators, Ting said he was informed that passengers preferred to be dropped off at Sibu Express Boat Terminal in Jalan Maju which is nearer to Sibu Central Market.

“These are some of changes likely to happen in Feb or March… so I think transportation is the still main challenge for SMC in 2023,” he said.

He opined that Sibu will continue to grow and that the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway will be the game changer for the riverine town.