Abdul Karim speaking at the 2026 Ambal Festival
ASAJAYA: Idle agricultural lands in the Asajaya Peninsula will be given a new lease of life through the ring road network project from Sebuyau to Sebangan Bajong.
Chairman of the Samarahan Integrated Development Agency (IRSDA) and Asajaya State Assemblyman (ADUN), Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that RM680 million has been allocated for the implementation of the project.
“The Asajaya Peninsula now has the largest network of ring dikes and irrigation systems in Sarawak as a result of the phased development implemented over the past several decades.
“Many ring dikes have been built starting from the Beliung area, through Tanjung Apong to Sadong Jaya, including crossing the Sadong Jaya area itself,” he said when speaking at the postponement of the 2026 Asajaya Ambal Festival here, Saturday (January 3).
According to him, the allocation will be used to build a ring dike from Sebuyau to Sebangan Bajong, with half of it specifically allocated for the implementation of the project in the Sebuyau area.
Datuk Seri Abdul Karim, who is also the Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts, said that before the construction of the ring dike was implemented, village areas such as Asajaya Ulu were often hit by the phenomenon of high tides every month.
“Before the dike was built, when the tide was high, seawater would enter the village areas in Asajaya.
“Sea water used to encroach on the edge of the village including Asajaya Ulu or Nonok Ulu, making agricultural land unsuitable for certain crops,” he explained, who is also the Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Development.
However, he said, the construction of the ring dike has brought about a major change when lands that were previously affected by saltwater and abandoned can now be cultivated again.
“Today, as a result of this ring dike, land that was previously uncultivable is now yielding good returns.
“In fact, durian trees that could only be planted in hilly areas can now be planted near the coast,” he said.
He said the success of the irrigation system and ring dike was the result of long-term planning by the previous leadership since the 1970s.
“Previous leaders saw the need to develop irrigation infrastructure to maximize the potential of land in coastal areas.
“Their vision was to ensure that the land in Asajaya could be fully utilized and subsequently generate real economic returns for the people,” he said.
He added that the expansion of the ring road network will not only increase agricultural yields and food security, but will also increase land value and the standard of living of residents in the Asajaya Peninsula.
