MEMORABLE OCCASION: Taib, flanked by longhouse chief Akoh on his right and Hasbi, launching the Rumah Akoh RES project as Awang Tengah (left) looks on.
LIMBANG: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is friendlier towards Sarawak than Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was when he was the deputy prime minister, and this is reflected in the huge allocations given to the state in recent years.
Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud told the 1,500-strong crowd attending the launching of a RM6 million rural electricity supply (RES) project at Rumah Akoh in Ulu Limbang yesterday that Anwar had at one time diverted some funds meant for the state elsewhere.
“For instance, he diverted money meant for Unimas (University Malaysia Sarawak) and other projects when he was in the Cabinet,” Taib said at the longhouse in Sungai Ensurai.
Urging the people to sideline Pakatan Rakyat, Taib said the pact had contradicting stands and would be a poor substitute for the BN.
He predicted that PAS, a component of the Pakatan coalition, would end up empty handed in Sarawak in the May 5 general election.
The Opposition, he pointed out, were bent on running down the BN government despite the government having made great strides in the socio-economic front.
Allegations about land grabbing would continue to be their main weapon in running down the BN in every election, he said.
“We give land to those who applied through the proper channel. We don’t grab land as claimed.”
Taib said the BN had proven its capabilities as shown by the state’s current per capital income of RM40,000, which represents a 10-fold increase when compared to that of 50 years ago.
The government had also made inroads in providing basic infrastructures and amenities, apart from creating economic opportunities.
Citing the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy as an example, Taib said it had already created a lot of economic spin-offs and employment opportunities.
“Now a driver can be paid RM100 a day in Samalaju (Industrial Park), and this is something which is unheard off in the past.”
Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who was also present, said the transformation of Ulu Limbang with better road network and provision of rural water and electricity supply summed up the delivery record of the BN.
“Ulu Limbang was hardly accessible in the past, and the mode of transport back then was by river. But now there are roads and electricity linked from the grid system under the rural electrification programme.”
The RES project in Sungai Ensurai would be undertaken by Citra Alti Sdn Bhd, and is expected to be completed by May 27 – in time for the Gawai Dayak celebration this year.
Costing RM6.08 million, it will benefit 104 families.
Awang Tengah said the locals’ request to link Ukong to the junction of Medamit road would be given top priority attention.
He also assured local oil palm smallholders that a mill would be built in Limbang in the near future.
Taib’s wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi , DUN Speaker Datuk Asfia Awang Mohd Asfia Nassar, state assemblymen Paulus Palu Gumbang ( Batu Danau), Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail ( Bukit Kota), Abu Seman Jahwie (Jemoreng), and BN candidate for Limbang Hasbi Habibolah were among those present.
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