The government did not deliberately delay the completion of Kanowit-Kapit road construction project, said Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi.

He said delay was because of changes made to the 9.6 kilometre stretch linking Ngemah in Kanowit and Nanga Temalat in Song.

"Initially the road was planned to go through the Ngungun Resettlement Scheme. But the available road there is so narrow and there is no possibility to widen it as the longhouses in the area were built too close to the road," he said in a press conference after the Soft Opening of Kanowit Bridge by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing here today.

If the road construction was carried out as planned, the many vehicles including the heavy ones could endanger the safety of the dwellers of 26 longhouses especially children.

Nanta was rebutting accusations by certain quarters who said the government deliberately delayed the project for political mileage of the Barisan Nasional especially for the coming General Election 14.

He explained, the construction of the Nanga Ngemah- Nanga Temalat road, said to be the 'missing link' of the Kanowit-Kapit road, had now been divided into two phases.

The first phase was the construction of the 9.6 kilometre road Nanga Ngemah-Nanga Temalat and the second phase was the construction of a 4.1 kilometre bypass which included a bridge crossing the Sungai Ngemah.

He said the preliminary work for the construction of the second phase had been carried out and land would be alienated for the purpose.

"At the moment the tender documents have been prepared and negotiation with an identified contractor will be concluded in June," said Nanta who hoped that the tender document for the bypass project could be done in September this year.

He stressed that there was no 'missing link' to the project as an additional fund of RM36 million was approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during his visit to Ngungun Resettlement Scheme on March 27 last year.

The overall cost of the two phases is RM150 million.

Nanta urged the people not to be influenced by the baseless accusations and not to get angry with the government.

On the RM52 million Kanowit Bridge, Nanta said the completion would uplift and spur the economic activities of the people in Majau, Poi and Ngungun.

The contractor is now doing the final touches to the bridge which is to be opened for public usage on May 27, a few days ahead of the Gawai celebration.

-- BERNAMA