Ragad and Taib (third and fourth left) presents ‘duit raya’ to orphans in Limbang as Awang Tengah (Taib’s left), Morliah (second left) and others look on.
LIMBANG: Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud should be regarded as the Father of Modern Sarawak for bringing profound changes and transformation to the state in many aspects.
Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Taib had laid a sound foundation for the state to progress when he was the state’s chief executive.
“He is also the father of racial unity and harmony and the architect of Sarawak’s progress that we are enjoying now,” he said at a Hari Raya gathering at Limbang Civic Centre on Saturday.
Taib and his wife, Toh Puan Dato Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, were also present.
Awang Tengah said the nearly RM40 billion worth of investments in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) and Samajaya Industrial Estate bore testimony to the quality of Taib’s leadership.
“The future of Sarawak is bright. He (Taib) had also ensured that the state’s human resources develop accordingly by establishing a human resource development unit and the setting up of Tegas to encourage technical education among Sarawakians.”
Awang Tengah told those present that approval for Limbang bridge and the proposed village extension project near the new Limbang District mosque and Kampung Seberang Kedai were given by Taib before he stepped down early last year.
“The bridge project is expected to take off before the end of this year, while the extension programmes will be under the 11th Malaysia Plan,” said Awang Tengah, who revealed that national supermarket chain, Mydin, had expressed their interest to set up a shopping mall here.
In his speech, Taib said his struggles all these years were meant to bring about a bright future for the state and its people, and that no one was marginalised.
He reminded Sarawakians that greater wealth would not guarantee happiness because the pursuit of progress must be tampered with a sound footing in religious values and appreciation of the struggles and journey to attain it.
“With urbanisation comes social challenges, and it is for the people to educate their children to absorb what is good and reject what is not.”
Also present at the function were Awang Tengah’s wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud, Minister-in-attendance Datuk Peter Nansian, Limbang MP Hasbi Habibolah, assemblymen Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail (Bukit Kota) and Paulus Paulu Gumbang (Batu Danau), and Limbang Resident Maria Hasman.