S’wak govt to develop former Rascom resettlement area, reward for resettled villagers during communist insurgency
Abang Johari exchanges greetings with the people on his arrival at Kanowit new market.
KANOWIT: A development plan has been proposed for Ngemah area under Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA).
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the plan is called Ngemah Development Area (NDA).
“NDA is a comprehensive socio-economic and infrastructure development plan for former Rajang Area Security Command (RASCOM) resettlement areas Nanga Tada, Nanga Ngungun and Nanga Jagau as well as areas along Kabah and Ngemah river basin.
“Within this belt, we will develop infrastructure such as electricity and water and open up land including Native Customary Rights (NCR) to develop commercial agriculture.
“This will improve the income of the people in Kanowit,” he said when he officiated at the launching of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Zone 11B roadshow at Kanowit new market here yesterday.
He also assured that the state government will provide fund under 12th Malaysia Plan for NDA.
He added the objectives of NDA were to honour the sacrifices of Nanga Tada, Nanga Ngungun and Nanga Jagau villagers who had to be resettled in the fight against the communist insurgency in 1970s.
The area will be developed through proper infrastructure and coordinated socio-economic development programmes.
Earlier, he explained why the four main political parties in the state namely Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) left Barisan Nasional (BN) pact after the 14th general election.
He said that they have learnt a lesson in BN.
“In BN, the policy is consensus.
“If we want to talk about oil and gas, we have only four component parties from Sarawak versus nine other component parties in BN.
“If we want to talk about Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) but if they told us to wait, we have to wait.
“That’s consensus. So there are weaknesses in BN,” he said.
Also present were his deputies Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, GPS secretary general Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) vice president Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing, Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, Ngemah assemblyman Alexander Vincent, Machan assemblyman Allan Siden Gramong and a former Macham assemblyman Datuk Gramong Juna.