RM283,500 govt grants given out to 33 groups in Kapit

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Grant recipients and others posing for a group photo with Jamit (front fifth left) and Nanta (sixth left).

Grant recipients and others posing for a group photo with Jamit (front fifth left) and Nanta (sixth left).

KAPIT: Government grants totalling RM283,500 were presented to some 33 village security and development committees (JKKKs), non-governmental organisations and parent-teacher associations (PTA) in Kapit district.

Deputy Minister for Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi presented allocations amounting to RM107,500 to the Parents-Teachers Association (PIBG) of SMK Kapit (RM10,000), JKKK Lubok Baya Seranau (RM42,500), PIBG SMK Selirik (RM20,000), PIBG SMK Kapit 2 (RM25,000) and the medical welfare fund (TKPM) branch of Hospital Kapit Sarawak (RM10,000), during a grant presentation ceremony yesterday.

At the same event, Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat presented grants amounting to RM176,000 to some 28 bodies.

“Before, we have only one source of grant that is through the Member of Parliament for Kapit. However, now we have two ‘handbags’ as we have the budget under Bukit Goram to benefit the people,” said Nanta, when speaking at the function.

“However do not differentiate the grant is given by who and who. In Kapit, we have the best team of politicians who work closely together – Deputy Chief Minister (and Baleh assemblyman) Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Assistant Minister for River Transportation and Safety Liwan Lagang, and assemblymen Chukpai Ugon (Murum), Wilson Nyabong (Pelagus), Datuk Ambrose Blikau (Katibas), Jefferson (Bukit Goram) and myself, including the political secretaries (to the Chief Minister) to assist us to develop Kapit for a better place for all of us to live in” said Nanta, who is also Kapit MP.

He called on the various bodies to forward their grant applications in writing (hard copy) at any time to his service centre as they wanted to provide the best service to the people. He noted that there were still vast areas in Kapit which needed more development.

“We can get the funding for both small and major development projects if we ask for it” he emphasised.

Meanwhile Jefferson said that the grants he presented were those he had committed to and pledged during the previous state election.

“This year, we are given half of the budget allocation and hence, not many are able to benefit from the grant. This is my first term and I hope next year with full allocation, we could allocate more grants for the people,” he said.

He thanked the people for their support and urged them to work together with him to better Kapit and Bukit Goram constituency.

Jefferson also disclosed that he presented grants amounting to RM55,500 to another nine JKKKs and NGOs last weekend during a programme by the Agriculture Department in Kapit in collaboration with Bayer Crop Science at Rumah Robert, Nanga Sebatu.

Also present at the grant presentation ceremony were political secretary to the Chief Minister Tapah Ata, Kapit Health Officer Dr Deburra Peak Ngadan, representatives of various government agencies and community leaders.