SIBU: Calling for connectivity to ensure greater mobility tops the list of priority for the assemblymen from Daro District.
Semop assemblyman Abdullah Saidol for one, called for road connectivity to all villages in Pulau Bruit.
(From right) Abdullah, Balingian assemblyman Yussibnosh Balo, Murni and Abu Seman posing for a photo session.
He disclosed that there are 13 villages and one longhouse as well as nine schools in Pulau Bruit.
“Basically, my priority is connectivity in Pulau Bruit, including longhouses in Mupong and Sungai Sian. That is on top of my list,” Abdullah, who is also Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, told The Borneo Post.
He was attending the one and-a-half days of dialogue on a development plan for areas under Daro District here yesterday.
All state agencies participated and it was coordinated by the district office.
Abdullah also raised the concern of rural electrification scheme (RES) in Pulau Bruit, a project nearly two years behind schedule.
“We hope the government will review the contractor involved or perhaps, get a new contractor,” he said.
He also called for the government to expedite water supply to some villages there.
Meanwhile, Jemoreng assemblyman Abu Seman Jahwie, another Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, hoped for speedy implementation of the Igan bridge from the discussion with the implementing agencies.
“This will spur economic development of my constituency. The bridge will link the coastal road facilitating mobility and transportation of goods,” Abu Seman noted.
Meanwhile, Daro assemblyman Murni Suhaili too revealed that accessibility is on top of his wish list.
“The main concern is the road connecting to longhouses and then, around Batang Lassa to Sibu, Bintangor, Daro and Matu. When there is road connectivity, the RES and water can come in,” he said.
The wish list includes clinic, community and school halls, he added, when implemented, to make the area more vibrant.
Meanwhile, Abdullah revealed that all three of them hoped there were no further delays in providing development funds to this area.
“This area has a huge potential as a food basket of Sarawak either in the supply of agriculture or aquaculture products.”
He noted the area was very near Tanjung Manis, where the Halal Hub is located thus, spurring its development, being part of SCORE.
Asked whether this related to his tabling of the (oil and gas) royalty, he answered to the affirmative.
“The whole thing relates to the request for more development funds in rural areas of Sarawak. Probably, we will take the opportunity to raise this when the prime minister visits the state,” he said.
He stressed that it was imperative for smooth coordination between the implementing agencies and elected representatives for rural development.
This, he added, was to prevent poor implementation of projects.
He recalled a recent incident of a PPRT house in Kampung Betana which collapsed due to poor materials used and not properly monitored.
Meanwhile, on the objective of the dialogue, he said it was to get input from the elected representatives and agencies.
“This is important so we can immediately identify high impact priority projects while looking into projects announced but never taken off and those behind schedules,” he pointed out.
Input from agencies such as SPU, DID, Land and Survey, Agriculture Department, NREB, and others were sought.
Asked if all the development was in BN’s preparation for the election, Abdullah said: “YAB CM who is also Sarawak BN chairman made it clear to all BN representatives to put extra effort to strengthen their constituency base by immediately attending to people’s welfare and needs.”
While each component party in BN Sarawak has its own ways of winning over the people, ultimately everybody must stand united on a common BN political platform and philosophy which, in a nutshell, he noted, is ‘Politics for Development’.
“We who represent rural folk must work harder to ensure long outstanding rural development must be implemented without further delay. We want to reduce the physical development scale between rural and urban.”
He said the chief minister is very receptive and all too willing to hear any constructive and reasonable suggestion from all parties, including the opposition for as long as it benefits the state.
“There is a rising demand for rural development. Therefore, the people want their representatives to work harder and show some results or determination that their hope for a better future are well taken care of.
“People want peace and harmony, I believe any reasonable citizen of this state despises and rejects any sentiment that promotes hatred, suspicion and racist,” he added.