Newly-appointed Public Utilities Minister to speed up outstanding issues for RTP

KUCHING: The appointment of Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom as the state’s Public Utilities Minister is nothing new to him.

Prior to the just-concluded 11th state election, the Kemena assemblyman was the ministry’s assistant minister in charge of electricity and telecommunications — an experience that should give him that boost of confidence in serving as a full minister.

“First of all, I want to thank the chief minister for his confidence in me. It is very challenging. I was there before as an assistant minister, (so there’s) nothing new for me.

“The main thing now is that I need to resolve all the outstanding issues including rural water and electricity (supply) as soon as possible,” he said when met by reporters after being sworn in as one of the 10 state cabinet ministers at the State Legislative Assembly Complex here yesterday.

Dr Rundi said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem had instructed every cabinet member to strive towards fulfilling the promises made to the people earlier.

“There are things to be done. The chief minister has given us some instructions to make sure that we will continue to fulfill the aspirations and promises that we have made (in the) last election and the last couple of years.

“That is what we need to do — our priority is to fulfill the promises.”

Asked on what among the promises were, Dr Rundi said the state government wanted to ‘transform the rural areas’.

“In other words, the administration of Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) would be further enhanced.”

For the record, the state government has so far allocated some RM1.5 billion for RTP, with the ultimate aim of bridging the development gap between the rural and urban areas.

Dr Rundi said the main focus would be on water, electricity, roads and telecommunications.

“Somehow, they are under my ministry. I will work hard, and get some money from the federal (government). Probably, we could do (it) faster than before.”

On the line-up of assistant ministers, Dr Rundi said: “We have not discussed (it) in detail, but I think it would be about the same number as before.”

The minister was also quick to add that it would be the prerogative of the chief minister to decide how many assistant ministers to be appointed later.

“We leave it to the chief minister to decide, but I think there would be assistant ministers for all four parties,” he said, in reference to existing state Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties — PBB, PRS, SUPP and SPDP.

 

 

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