PKR wants Baram to be made a division
MIRI: The state government has been urged to declare Baram as a new division in Sarawak.
The call came from Parti Keadilan Rakyat ( PKR) Baram branch chief Roland Engan.
“Baram, which includes three districts - Marudi, Beluru and Telang Usan - is a huge area and this is a suitable time for it to be upgraded to a division.
“Regardless of whether we win or lose in the coming election, we will continue to fight for Baram to be turned into a division,” he said.
Speaking at a media conference at the Baram PKR office here yesterday, Roland also urged the state government to stop large companies from cutting forest trees in Ulu Baram for logs and converting the wetlands into oil palm plantations.
He claimed that the destruction of forest areas in Ulu Baram would not only affect the ecosystem but also the development of tourism there.
“Speaking of tourism, we want foreign tourists to come to Ulu Baram, but what can we show to them? We do not want to show just the oil palm plantations.
“Most tourists who want to come to Ulu Baram want to see the natural beauty and greenness of the flora and fauna, so I hope the government will continue to conserve this area,” he said.
He added that if PKR won the Baram parliamentary seat, preserving the forest area in Baram would be a major concern.
“This is Baram’s aspiration and hope, and we in PKR want the forest area to be preserved,” he stressed.
Also present at the press conference were PKR Baram secretary Dennis Along and PKR Baram Tengah coordinator Billy Ngau.