Jabu (second right) and to his left, Misnu, at the site of the 2015 state level Malaysia Day celebration in Sematan .
SEMATAN: The 2015 state-level Malaysia Day celebration will be centred around the small coastal town of Sematan some 100 km west of Kuching.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang said the preparation is running smoothly.
“The venue was chosen in line with the state government’s agenda of developing rural areas through its transformation programme,” he told reporters at a press conference after meeting agencies involved in state level Malaysia Day celebration at the National Service Centre Sematan near here yesterday.
“The government focus is to narrow the socio-economic gap between people in rural and urban areas and progress together,” he added.
Jabu who is minister in charge of the celebration said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem is concerned about people in the rural areas being left behind in development, basic amenities and infrastructure.
“Under the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016 to 2020), the State Government wants to ensure people in rural areas will not be left behind but be transformed together with people in the town,” he said.
Jabu said the chief minister will give a speech on rural transformation and tell rural folks about future development in this part of the state.
He said Sarawak with some 30 ethnic races living in harmony over the years show the rest of Malaysia that we can live under one roof, and respect one another in the spirit of 1Malaysia.
The State Government had suggested Malaysia Day 2015 be held in the same town as that for the launch of the Pan Borneo Highway project a day earlier to save cost and manpower.
Jabu is optimistic the celebration will go well and hoped for fine weather.
He later visited the site of where the celebration will be held in10 days’ time.
About 10,000 people will converge and people from neighbouring countries are welcome to celebrate the special day on Sept 16.
Present at the press conference were Assistant Minister of Local Government and Community Development (Community Services) Datuk Peter Nansian. Opar assemblyman Ranum Mina and Deputy State Secretary Datu Misnu Taha.