KUCHING: Engkilili assemblyman Johnichal Rayong Ngipa is requesting the state government to upgrade Engkilili sub-district into a district in Sri Aman Division.
He said this was a request from a majority of the people in and around Engkilili.
For Engkilili to be transformed into a district, he said the government needed to equip it with good basic infrastructure including a cash and cheque deposit machine, in addition to the present Agro Bank automated teller machine which only allows withdrawals, to enable the people to do business transactions.
“I humbly request that Agro Bank help the ‘rakyat’ as part of their corporate responsibility and to help achieve the government’s vision.
“I also wish the government to help Engkilili shopkeepers to upgrade their wooden shops with concrete buildings, and to build new shops lots for those who have no shophouses yet.
“There are many locals aspiring to have shops to conduct business in connection with this transformation programme,” he said when debating the State Budget.
Rayong also requested the government to create a sub-district at Skrang Scheme, considering that it has adequate facilities like a school, clinic, police station, library, hall, public toilet, futsal court, football field and places of worship, along with a population which is large enough.
He noted that historically, the name ‘Skrang’ had been around even before the time of the Brooke rule, and it is midway from Engkilili to Betong.
“So this will enable people from as far as Ulu Skrang Hilir, Bangat, Lidong and areas surrounding Skrang to conduct activities related to official government and administrative matters.
“They would not need to travel far to Sri Aman, Lubok Antu and Betong any more to conduct official business,” he said.
Rayong believed that if Skrang Scheme is made a sub-district, it would be easier for the government to bring in more development under the Rural Transformation Programme.