This has come from a follow-up last week when Tiong, who is also chairman of BN Backbenchers’ Club, asked on two issues on infrastructures in Sarawak.

The Bintulu MP also asked on the on-going parliament building renovation which had displeased him because the ministry had not consulted the speaker of the House and the parliamentarians – the people using the building – on the practicality of the plan.

All that Tiong got from the ministry were words being played around with the issues.

On the various infrastructure issues in Sarawak, Tiong had asked on the lack of fund allocation for road repairs.

He revealed last week of the pitiful allocation of only RM4 million for this year.

Tiong said the amount was not even sufficient for road repair in Kuching, lest to say for the whole of Sarawak.

He said rainy season had set in and roads would be badly damaged by incidents of floods, cave-ins and mud-slides.

He said the inability to repair had caused road conditions to be in bad shapes and accidents had frequently occurred, causing the loss of lives.

He also asked about the delayed construction of the 10-km road in Tatau, which he said the villagers had been repeatedly assured of its construction, but, after years of frustrating wait, it had never come.

The boiling point rose in the house when Deputy Works Minister Dato Yong Khoon Seng said he had already given his reply, but, Tiong, armed with a photostated copy of the parliamentary report, asked, “Where are the answers to my enquiries?”

Tiong read out the report concerning his enquiries, and the only reply he had got from Yong was, the RM4 million allocations had been used to repair the road between ???? and Limbang.

Yong then swayed from the point to say the allocation for road projects in Sarawak next year amounted to RM180 million.

He said Bintulu would receive 21.7 million while another RM176 million was for the on-going construction of roads in Sibu, Bawang Assan, Serikin, Lubok Antu, Lemana and Sekari.  
He said another RM1 million was for the road linkage of Beluru, Long Telung and Long Lama.
 Tiong then asked, “Is that all you had for my questions? You have not touched on the renovation of the parliament and the delayed road project of Kuala Serupai”

Earlier, Yong defended himself by saying he was from Sarawak, and he knew of the need to repair Pan Borneo Road that had already been built for 35 years.

As such, he said he had been asking for funds.

On the new roads to be built in Sarawak next year, Yong said they could be referred to the documents of his ministry for details.

Tiong displeased with this. He hit out at the ministry, saying “I hope the ministry officers coming to this House will listen to the enquiries carefully and answer to the point. 

“This is not what I have asked for the people. It is absurd to ask me to go through your piles of documents myself to get the answer.”

Tiong stressed, “My enquiry was simple. Tell the House now when the 10-km road of Serupai will be built.” 

The Bintulu MP said he had been flooded with enquiries from the frustrated residents, adding the ministry had hosted the launching of the road project during the state election; they promised the road project would now kick off after years of frustrating wait.

Tiong said he found no way to answer the residents “because not even “the ghost” is there, lest to say the contractor”.

The Bintulu MP said this to the burst of laughter in the House.

On the piles of documents of the project, he said he knew the road project had been approved.

“Does this mean I still have to go through your piles of documents myself to search for an answer? Can’t you give me a date now on when the road will be built?”

Replying, Yong said he needed to study the application of the road construction before he could consider.

This caused Tiong’s temper to boil further, saying, “The project has been approved to be built. What is there to apply and what is there for you to consider?”

Yong admitted then he did not have the details of the road project, adding the project launching was not graced by him.

“I must know the details first before I reply.”

He said he would reply in written statements.

Tiong again hit out at the ministry officers present, saying they were playing around with the issues.

“You should take our enquiries seriously because we bring the voices of the people to this House. This is a waste of time in the House. The negligence in your duty is only opening opportunities for the opposition party.”