MIRI: The efforts of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and other top Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders from Peninsular Malaysia to visit various parts of Sarawak have been praised by the people, particularly those from Baram and Telang Usan.
Sarawak Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Association vice-president Roslyn L Lah said such visits were important to enable them to better understand actual conditions on the ground and the needs of locals.
“When they come here, they can see for themselves how we live and how we go about our daily living, including the roads we are travelling on and see for themselves the problems and difficulties we are facing, especially when it rains, the roads are very bad, and we really look forward to the improvement of those roads,” she told The Borneo Post yesterday.
She said the people are strong supporters of BN and were very excited whenever BN leaders visited their areas.
“At least this time we are looking forward to good news or announcements of assistance or development that will be brought to our area or business opportunities, or other developments where the people can get involved and participate and better our lives in the rural areas,” said Roslyn, who is also Sarawak Kayan Ladies Association chairperson.
Rurum Kelabit Miri chairman Dick Bala said the people are very excited about Najib’s scheduled visit to northern Sarawak including to Bario and Marudi tomorrow (April 14).
Although Bario has been enjoying accelerated development over the years, he said, much more still needs to be done. “We are indeed very happy that the PM is visiting Bario for the first time, to see for himself what further development could be brought to Bario in particular.
“Actually Rurum Kelabit is chartering 13 return flights to Bario from Miri, to get our people, particularly the voters to come and welcome the PM and also to vote for the BN candidate in Ba Kelalan,” Dick told
The Borneo Post after receiving aid from the Registrar of Societies on Monday night. The chartered flights, he said, would transport some 500 voters in the Ba’Kelalan constituency, including those working in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and elsewhere in Sarawak.
“This is part of our commitment and our gesture of saying thank you to the government in striving to bring development to the people, particularly in Bario and Ba Kelalan constituency,” he said.
Meanwhile, Registrar of Societies Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman handed over a total of RM200,000 to 20 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) here. The recipients included the Northern Sarawak Journalists Association (NSJA), Sarawak Federation of Miri Division Chinese Associations and Sarawak Kenyah National Association (PKKS).