LUNDU: A sum of RM20 million was approved by the state government under the late chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem for the first phase of the Lundu Industrial Estate, says Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
Speaking to the media after launching the district-level ‘Entrepreneurship Empowerment Programme: Food Industry’ at the Lundu community hall here yesterday, he said the concept of the industrial estate is based on the potential of what this district has, such as agriculture, fisheries and ecotourism.
“Currently we are finalising the site of the project and hopefully it can be implemented this year,” he added.
He lamented that the late chief minister did not get to see the project get off the ground due to his untimely death.
“He had planned so many projects for Tanjong Datu. Just in the last two years, a sum of RM1.3 billion for projects was approved for this area. This shows that he was really serious to develop this district,” he said.
Awang Tengah, who is also acting deputy president of PBB, revealed that it was the late Adenan himself who wanted to stand in Tanjong Datu when the seat was first created in 2006 because he wanted to develop the district.
“Our former chief minister Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had wanted him to continue serving in Muara Tuang because he had done an excellent job to develop the area. But he (Adenan) had insisted to contest here since his late father was originally from here and that he really wanted to help to develop this area. This shows that he really loved to serve here and wanted to help you to be developed like any other districts in Sarawak,” he pointed out.
Thus, he said, to continue Adenan’s plan to develop Tanjong Datu, it was just natural for BN to pick his widow Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu as the BN candidate, as only she would know what Adenan had planned for the constituency.
“That’s the reason we really hope that the voters in Tanjong Datu will give their full support to Kak Milah (Jamilah) so that she can continue the legacy of Tok Nan (Adenan) here. The government, on its part, will assist her, God willing, when she wins with an even bigger majority in this by-election,” he said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Entrepreneur Development Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais urged Sarawakians to take advantage of the various opportunities available to venture into business.
He said currently at least 30 government agencies were ready to assist those willing to set up their own business.
“And as for Tanjong Datu, we will work closely with Kak Milah, when she is elected as the assemblywoman of Tanjong Datu. So please vote for her if you want to see the dream of Tok Nan to be fulfilled,” added Naroden.