Blikau (left) receives a gift from Tuai Rumah Jarop Bungkong. At centre is Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, who officiated at the event.
KAPIT: Members of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties have been asked to unite to further strengthen the coalition.
Katibas assemblyman Datuk Ambrose Blikau Enturan warned that there should be no factions among BN members.
“In politics there should not be any cliques. On the other hand, the BN political component parties like Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) should work together with the BN-friendly political parties of Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) and United People’s Party (UPP) to further strengthen the BN government,” he said during a gathering organised by PBB Katibas Youth in collaboration with the Song District Office at Rumah Jarop Bungkong, Nanga Sepadi recently.
Blikau called on headmen to fully support the BN government in the next state election to ensure BN secures at least a two-thirds majority so that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem can continue his policies for another five-year term.
“Giving the Chief Minister a chance also means giving ourselves a chance to do something good for ourselves,” he said.
He pointed out that Adenan’s achievements so far included combating illegal logging, integrity pledge, and doing away with the term ‘others’ in official government forms.
“His latest focus is to get rid of illegal immigrants and to stop foreigners squatting in the state. On our part, we must fully support his policies. Let it be our collective responsibility to support the CM’s policy to further transform the state to bring further development to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Blikau also called on the Agriculture Department to reconsider reactivating the agriculture stations at Nanga Bangkit and Nanga Engkuah.
He said the stations are vital for the disbursement of subsidised fertiliser for hill padi and other agriculture aid, as the rural folk can save on transportation costs by not having to travel to Song.
On the low level of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land perimeter surveys in Song District, Blikau pointed out that it does not reflect the actual situation.
“We have ample land and the low rate of the perimeter surveys does not reflect the real situation and it is hoped that the perimeter survey could include all the NCR areas that have been inhabited and toiled by our ancestors even before the Land Code was enforced,” he said.
He added that the low survey rate was partly due to the opposition’s propaganda that the survey was a tool for the government to take the land.
“For fear of losing what they have (NCR land), the people refused to accept the government’s initiative to carry out the perimeter survey of their land. Now that the people have a better understanding of the government’s motives, hopefully the work on the perimeter survey of the NCR land could be carried out smoothly and effectively.”
All 32 headmen from Lower Katibas river were present at the function and voiced their desire for Blikau to be re-nominated as the BN’s candidate for Katibas in the next state election.
Among those present were Song District Officer Jackline August, Land and Survey Kapit superintendent Peggy Runin, Penghulu Salang Manggau, Penghulu Lebun Andol, Penghulu Jamit Untam and Penghulu Galau Melina.