Deputy minister: Over RM100 mln allocated for each constituency in Greater Kuching Coordinated Development Agency

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Martin (left) tries his hands at the sugar cane juicer machine as the opening gimmick for Tebedu Desa Fair while Dr Sinang (third left) looks on.

TEBEDU (May 26): Each state constituency included in Greater Kuching Coordinated Development Agency (GKCDA) is allocated over RM100 million to implement development projects, said Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Deputy Minister Martin Ben.

He said the GKCDA covering Tanjung Datu, Opar, Tasik Biru, Serembu, Mambong, Tarat, Tebedu, Bukit Semuja, Kedup and part of Balai Ringin is given a total budget of RM1.5 billion in development fund.

Citing Tebedu as an example, he said such funds can be used to upgrade the infrastructure and facilities to attract investment and generate economic activities that bring greater benefit to the people.

“As approved by the Premier of Sarawak, every regional development agency is given a budget of RM1.5 billion. For us (under GKCDA), it is to be divided equally among the nine and a half constituencies which is about over RM100 million each.

“For Tebedu, I believe the assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada has plans to develop a Greater Tebedu,” he said when declaring open the Desa Fair Tebedu & MyRakyat Sales today at Anjung Mutiara 2 here.

Martin noted that while the Tebedu Industrial Park was completed more than 18 years ago, there had yet to be industries operating there.

As such, he opined there needs to be new ways of doing things in order to get industries to come to Tebedu.

He also took note of Tebedu’s low population numbers of only 20,000 people in 2,000 square kilometres of area while the population across the Malaysian-Indonesian border 4 kilometres away from Tebedu is much bigger.

“Cassava processing plant could be one of the industries to be set up here. If the people here plant, say 5,000 acres of land with cassava, we can supply enough materials for such a plant,” he said.

As such, he called on the people here to participate in land documentation by Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) if their land is yet to be surveyed, so that they can participate in economic activities that monetise their land.

On the Tebedu Desa Fair, he said it is now held for the second consecutive year and has the potential to grow into a Country Fair and even host an Agrofest one day.

He hoped the organisers will identify a bigger square to host future Tebedu Desa Fair events instead of occupying space in front of shop houses at Bandar Mutiara Tebedu.

Meanwhile, Dr Sinang said the Desa Fair is organised again following good response to the inaugural event held last year.

He said such event is important to drive economic activities in Tebedu and help to generate income for the people.

Some 70 stalls participate in the three-day event, with free concert by invited artistes at night.

Also present at the event were political secretary to the Premier Niponi Undek, GKCDA chief executive officer Datu Ik Pahon Joyik, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) Sarawak director Ramli Mat Sani and Serian Resident Selamat Jati Yanjah