Uggah (front) inspects the Spaoh Waterfront project with Charlie
KUCHING: The Sarawak government will distribute grants totalling RM265 million to smallholders in the state affected by the current drop in the prices of primary commodities.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said this amount under Agriculture Facilitation Fund (AFF) is part of the total sum of RM767 million allocated to the agriculture sector under the State Budget 2020 tabled by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at the State Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Uggah who is also the Minister of Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development said this showed that social media postings accusing the government of not being sympathetic to the smallholders is not true at all.
“It will be utilised to finance various income diversification programmes, on equipment and infrastructure support and others.
“This is our initiative to help the smallholders, the majority of whom are natives affected by the drop in the price of oil palm, rubber and pepper. With this AFF, they would be encouraged not to abandon or neglect their farms,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Uggah added the Sarawak government also allocated RM29.1 million to assist fishermen in Sarawak during the landas season.
“So I hope people will look at the situation with a fair mind and not be overly negative, biased or emotional,” he added.
The statement also mentioned that Uggah visited the sites of three major projects being implemented at Spaoh in Betong which is part of his Bukit Saban state constituency.
They included the RM14million Spaoh Sports Complex (inclusive of land acquisition cost), the RM6.4million Spaoh Waterfront project and the RM5 million Spaoh Agriculture Office.
Accompanying him during the visit were a political secretary to the chief minister Dr Richard Rapu and secretary of the Betong District Council Charlie Keling.