Kota Kinabalu: Plans are afoot to upgrade Kg Tanjung Aru Lama and Kg Tanjung Aru Baru into a clean systematic tourism-orientated water village costing RM40 million with the first phase expected to begin in January.
The implementation of the Federal Tourism Ministry project would be carried out in two phases due to the physical constraints such as squatters and funding. The first phase would cost RM10 million.
Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim announced this Tuesday after chairing a meeting on the Proposed Upgrading of Tanjung Aru Water Village, together with Local Government and Housing Assistant Minister Ir. Edward Yong Oui Fah who is also the Assemblyman for Tanjung Aru, Director-General for City Hall, Dr Chua Kim Hing, Directors of City Hall namely, Alijus Sipil, Ir. Lee Tet Fon, Walter Kenson and Maryo Ngasio.
Also present were the project consultant architect, J.T. Tan and some 20 community leaders, community development leaders and village heads from Tanjung Aru Baru and Kg Tanjung Aru Lama.
Iliyas said the project was mooted at a meeting of the Economic Development Unit under the Prime Minister's Department in November 2002 with the aim to upgrade and turn the existing water village into a tourist attraction with some elements of sustainability in the long run.
Tuesday's meeting was to brief the stakeholders, especially the affected residents, about the upgrading works.
Towards this end, Iliyas said the water village would become a tourist attraction, maintaining the original concepts of the water village, with enriched components of tourism aspects and economic activities.
Iliyas said the scope of the upgrading works would include the following elements:
* Providing proper and systematic basic amenities, thus adding value to the environment;
* Improving the level of cleanliness especially along the coast line;
* Upgrading the living standards of the locals in the said area by providing them with proper public amenities.
Other facilities include walkways, streetlights, sewerage system, water and electricity supplies, telephone lines, bin centres, landscaping and open decks to serve also as observatory stations and for water taxi point as well.
Iliyas warned the village heads not to take advantage of the situation by permitting new houses to be constructed in their respective areas.
Action would be taken against those who illegally build houses in their respective areas after this announcement has been made.
Thanking the Federal Government and City Hall for looking into this proposed upgrading works, the village heads also raised several issues at the meeting which shall be addressed by the Government.
Courtesy of Daily Express
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