Dennis (seated, fourth left) poses with other distinguished guests and participants of the inaugural seminar.
LONG LAPUT, Baram: Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) will look into the establishment of various components of the Rural Growth Centre (RGC) in Long Lama to further enhance economic growth in the rural area.
Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, in disclosing this yesterday, said the decision was reached after a meeting in Kuching attended by Assistant Minister of Native Land Development Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn.
According to Dennis, the RGC in Long Lama was launched in 2003 but since then only the Telang Usan district office, health clinic and the district council office were built while the other components had not been implemented.
Elizabeth (fifth right) presents Dennis with a memento as a token of appreciation for officiating at the event.
Dennis said he had been raising the matter at the State Legislative Assembly for many years, asking when the other components would be developed.
“Praise be to God that after Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas was appointed as minister (Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development) he took note of our appeal and decided to direct Yang Berhormat Roland Sagah and Salcra to spearhead the development of RGC in Long Lama.
“So, according to the decision (made during the meeting) and if all goes well, we will see the start of various developments going on at the RGC in Long Lama,” said Dennis when officiating at the ‘Seminar Adet Kayan Kenyah 1994’ and a programme for Kayan community leaders here.
Dennis emphasised that the decision was made in accordance with the vision of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to develop Long Lama as a development centre for Telang Usan and Ulu Baram.
“If Long Lama can be developed with many facilities, we the people of Baram will greatly benefit from it especially in terms of our rural economy,” said Dennis.
Dennis disclosed that funding had had been allocated for developing various components and infrastructure at the RGC – among them housing, commercial centre, stadium, primary school, petrol station, a collection, processing and packaging centre, Orang Ulu cultural museum and a 4WD sport track.
On the seminar, Dennis emphasised that it is essential for the rural population especially the community leaders and village chieftains to acknowledge their customs and traditions particularly in today’s changing world.
“Despite the many challenges we face now, the government and village leaders are always working together to improve the understanding of village leadership in many matters, including our customs.
“We must always uphold and strengthen our customs or institution that we have been using since long ago. We must respect the leadership of the longhouse, the village chiefs and the village committees as well as our elders because if not us, who else,” he added.
Present were a political secretary to the chief minister Charles Balan Seling, Telang Usan district officer Baru Tai, Kayan paramount chief Temenggong Elizabeth Deng, representatives from Majlis Adat Istiadat including its Orang Ulu Section administrative officer Ding Seling and several village chieftains and their charges from over 10 longhouses in Baram.