A 4.8km bridge stretching across the Lupar River in Sarawak, Malaysia, opened to traffic on May 22, beating the 1.7km Johor River Bridge as the longest in Malaysia.
The Batang Lupar No. 1 Bridge links the two towns of Sebuyau and Maludam, and its construction officially began in March 2021, MalayMail reported.
The project cost amounted to about RM848.75 million (S$274 million) and is funded entirely by Sarawak state funds, Sarawak’s Deputy Premier and State Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development said, according to The Borneo Post.
Before the bridge’s opening, commuters relied on ferries to travel between the river banks.
With the bridge, crossing the river now only takes five minutes by road, compared to 30 to 45 minutes by ferry.
Ferry service has now been phased out, MalayMail wrote.
“With this bridge, the people can return to their villages more easily for the Hari Raya Haji and Gawai Dayak celebrations,” Sarawak Premier Johari Openg commented.
He also noted that, under the 12th Malaysia Plan, the Sarawak government planned the construction of 21 major bridges, of which 10 have been completed and opened to the public.
The 12th Malaysia Plan is the Malaysian government’s economic and social development blueprint, spanning 2021 to 2025.
