Najib ‘really listens’ to Sarawak, says rep
KAPIT: Bu k i t Go r am assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat hails Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as a leader who ‘really listens to Sarawak’.
He pointed out that the Jalan Kapit- Song- Kanowit was only approved after 54 years of nonconnectivity.
“It’s the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia who really listened to us when he approved the funds for the road project. The longhouse communities along Jalan KapitSong-Kanowit are happy because now, they are connected.
“In this respect, we must appreciate the government’s move in building the road for us. The road would bring multiple benefits – convenient connectivity, land development and also higher income generation – to all of us,” he spoke at the launch of a districtlevel environmental programme at Rumah Mathew Bina in Nanga Semak, Sungai Yong here recently.
Jamit said local folks are able to enjoy development and will continue to do so, because of their strong support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
“Kapit used to be a ‘ pulau’ (island), but very soon, we will be connected with Song, Kanowit and Sibu via roads. In the past, it took a few hours to reach Rumah Mathew from Kapit via longboat along Sungai Yong. Now, it is only a half-hour car ride from town.
“I’ve also observed that many landowners grab the opportunity to open up their land for agriculture. They plant rubber trees, fruits and vegetables – all of these were not possible in the past, because there was no road that could trigger such development,” he stressed.
Jamit also called upon the local folk to continue supporting Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi in the next parliamentary election.
“As Kapit MP over the past several years, YB Nanta has implemented various projects here to benefit us – among the projects are construction of jetty, roads and houses, as well as the rural electricity scheme and gravity-feed water supply,” he said.
Meanwhi l e , Jami t al s o commended the Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB) for its role in educating the public on the importance of being environmentally-friendly.
“I laud NREB’s approach to the longhouse communities as far as raising environmental awareness is concerned, which includes the protection and conservation of nature. A good environment is more than just having clean compounds around our longhouses; it is also about the conservation of rivers and wildlife.
“Environment is our collective responsibility – each and every one of us has a role to play. The government has all the laws on the environment and conservation, and we must observe each of them,” he said.
At the function, Jamit announced allocations of RM5,000 for the women’s bureau of 34-door Rumah Mathew Bina and also RM500 per household for the purchase of plastic carpet.
Political secretary to chief minister Tapah Ata, NREB Sarawak deputy control ler Justine Jok Jau Emang and Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority ( Risda) Sibu officer Khairul Hisham Ismail, as well as local community leaders Temenggong Wilfred Billy Panyau, Penghulu Nylong Daga and Penghulu Pasang Tubah were also present.