Construction of temporary workers’ camp at Samalaju gets underway

Wednesday, 5 January 2011, Samalaju, Bintulu – Whilst many of us are easing slowly back into the routine of work just days into the new year, the team at our Samalaju Development SBU were already knee-deep into their project to construct a temporary workers’ housing camp at Samalaju in a few short weeks.

According to SBU Head and CEO of Samalaju Industries (formally known as Similajau Industries), Isaac Lugun, “We are contractually bound to deliver an operating camp of at least one block of housing for 350 workers, complete with kitchen and canteen, by 1 February 2011. It is a daunting challenge to construct a building in an area where there is nothing on site. However, the team worked through Christmas and the New Year to get the project moving and we are as committed as ever to deliver per the Contract!”

The attached pictures taken on 4 January 2011 give a snapshot of the work at the Temporary Workers Camp Site at Samalaju.

Samalaju SBU team member, Goh Chii Yew, has been making more and more frequent trips to the Samalaju site, located 60 km from Bintulu, since the award of contract to the CMS’ business unit in mid-December 2010.

Goh gave more insight to the challenging tasks faced daily, “The main obstacle currently is the 1.5 km access road which we had to build and will continue to maintain. This temporary road is impassable during days of heavy rain despite the crusher run that we do almost every week. Apart from trucks carrying materials for construction of our workers’ camp, the same temporary access road is being used by many other huge trucks going in and out the area. This heavy traffic is further aggravating the condition of the fragile road!”

Samalaju Property Development, a joint venture company comprising Samalaju Industries, Naim Cendera and Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), is responsible for the development of temporary workers’ camp facilities for construction workers of industries locating to Samalaju Industrial Park.

The JV will also manage the said camps, as well as undertake developments at the new Samalaju township (estimated to be 5,200 acres in size) and other property development works at Samalaju.

With the combined hydro-electric power from the Bakun and Murum dams, at least five major global industries are expected to locate to Samalaju over the next five years. The first industry to locate to Samalaju is Tokuyama Corporation of Japan which will be constructing a poly-silicon plant starting in February 2011. Completion of the Plant is scheduled within 24 months. It is estimated that at the peak of construction, at least 4,000 construction workers will require housing. A further 600 employees will need to be housed when the Plant is operational.