Update – Construction of temporary workers’ camp at Samalaju – canteen block underway

Friday, 21 January 2011, Samalaju, Bintulu – We are happy to bring readers a visual update on construction of the temporary workers’ housing project at Samalaju. According to the project team, works on the Canteen and Kitchen block is underway. The attached pictures of the said facility were taken yesterday.

Samalaju Property Development is tasked with construction of an operating camp of at least one block of housing for 350 workers, complete with kitchen and canteen, by February 2011. The camp will be for construction workers of industries locating to Samalaju Industrial Park.

Construction on the workers accommodation block was completed earlier this week; in just a few short weeks. Work was accelerated with the installation of temporary lighting to enable construction to carry on even at night.

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.