Awang Tengah (centre) presents the school aid to one of the recipients in a ceremony on Sept 27.
MIRI (Sept 29): High-impact infrastructure projects that are being implemented in Limbang and Lawas will enable Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA) to carry out various socio-economic programmes to increase the income and uplift the livelihood of rural communities in these areas, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
“For your information, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has approved a funding of RM1.5 billion to NRDA to implement high-impact infrastructure projects in these two districts covering 7,790 km.
“The Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) has completed about 56 of these projects in Limbang, with 82 under construction and 18 projects currently at the detailed-design stage. In Lawas, Recoda had completed 26 projects, 52 under construction and 13 currently at the detailed-design stage.
“All these projects that are expected to complete by the next two to three years will lay the foundation for NRDA to implement various socio-economic programmes to make the region attractive for investments,” he said when officiating at the presentation of Early Schooling Assistance for B40 students in Lawas on Wednesday (Sept 27) at a leading hotel in Lawas.
Earlier, the Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment thanked the federal government for the allocation of RM22.67 million to implement people-oriented projects as an effort to change the socio-economic landscape in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score).
“Under NRDA, some RM6.828 million has been approved to implement 33 community projects under Community@Score.
“This initiative not only proves the federal and state government’s commitment to empower the B40 group, but it demonstrates the effectiveness of these projects in bringing significant progress, especially in improving the living standards of the people by creating job opportunities and related business opportunities.
“This, in turn, has potential to transform the development landscape in the interior and rural areas within the Score region under the administration of Recoda,” he added.
On education, Awang Tengah stressed that it is the main pillar of a nation’s socio-economic development.
“Realising that certain communities face financial obstacles, the government has implemented the ‘Program Bantuan Persekolahan Pelajar B40’ in NRDA area to reduce the burden of parents by assisting B40 students to purchase basic school equipment. It is hoped that with this, children of B40 families can focus on learning at school,” he added.