Matsuo (second left) hands over a mock key to Jawa (right) as Aaron (second right) and Tuai Rumah Michael look on.
KANOWIT: The Japanese government has donated a van to the Rajang Central Zone Community Service Association (RCS) Muhhibah Centre at Bawan here.
The van was handed over by head of Japan Consular Office in Kota Kinabalu, Hiroko Matsuo to RCS Muhibbah Centre chairman Dr Joseph Jawa Kendawang and witnessed by Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang during a ceremony at the centre on Saturday.
In her speech Matsuo said that her office received the request for a van for RCS Muhhibah Centre from its advisor Professor Ken Nakazawa in July last year.
The centre, she said was established by Nakazawa on Sept 27, 2008 to provide day care training centre for persons with disabilities in Bawan, Tuah, Pedai, Jih, Mapai, Tada and other adjacent areas.
“RCS Muhhibah Centre is providing shuttle service for the trainees from their longhouses to the centre.
“However, the existing vehicle at the centre is old and the condition is not good.
“The government of Japan, from the viewpoint of its significant activities, decided to extend the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) of approximately RM110,000 for purchasing a vehicle,” she said.
Matsuo said the GGP is one of the aid schemes to meet the basic human needs such as projects that are highly beneficial at grassroots level.
To date, she said they had contributed about RM6.6 million to 50 projects in Sabah and Sarawak.
She added that GGP is funded by the tax payers of Japan.
“Therefore, I would say that this particular aid for this project is an exemplification of the goodwill of the Japanese toward the people in Sarawak.
“I hope that this project will be long remembered by the people as a symbol of friendship between Japan and Sarawak,” she said.
Aaron who spoke later thanked the Japanese government for its contribution.
He said the people in Kanowit were lucky to have a facility such as RCS Muhhibah Centre to cater for the need of persons with special needs.
Among those present were Japan Consular Office in Kota Kinabalu vice consul Kunihiko Kato, Asia Community Service and Exchange vice chairman Professor Takeshi Yamamura and Tuai Rumah Michael Jalak.