Jamit officiates at soft opening of Sibu Jaya ‘rumah asap’
SIBU: The Sibu Jaya ‘ rumah asap’ or smokehouse with its spacious and clean environment offering a wide variety of barbecue food can be a model for other smokehouses besides being a tourist attraction.
Sibu Rural District Council ( SRDC) officially launched the smokehouse recently to provide an environment more conducive to traders and barbecue food lovers, where the 10 traders are provided with canopies and other amenities by SRDC.
Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat graced the soft opening.
In his remarks, Jamit said: “The neat, clean and spacious setup of Sibu Jaya ‘rumah asap’ offering varieties of mouthwatering barbeque food can be an example for other ‘rumah asap’.
“This can become an attraction for barbeque food lovers not only from Sibu Jaya but also from Sibu town, Kanowit, Julau and other places. Moreover, the smokehouse can become a tourist attraction, especially food tourism.”
In this regard, he gave SRDC a pat on the back for providing good facilities like canopies and other amenities to assist the traders.
Jamit also praised the council for its efforts to provide opportunities for the people to earn extra income from this barbecue business.
“This smokehouse can become a source of good income for them to sustain their daily needs and support their family, given the challenges in the global economy,” he added.
On Sibu Jaya township, Jamit likened it to his hometown Kapit
This can become an attraction for barbecue food lovers not only from Sibu Jaya but also from Sibu town, Kanowit, Julau and other places. Moreover, the smokehouse can become a tourist attraction, especially food tourism. Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Bukit Goram assemblyman
as many Sibu Jaya residents are from Kapit, Song and Katibas.
“Many have purchased houses and live in Sibu Jaya. This is a vibrant township with rapid development going on.”
He was delighted to note the beautiful landscape and the new modern shophouses, making Sibu Jaya a good place to live and do business.
“Sibu Jaya has more than three major supermarkets apart from coffee shops, restaurants, food stalls, market, ‘ tamu market’, night market and smokehouse.
“I hope SRDC will keep up with the good initiative and efforts to help these food operators to start their business. I also hope in the near future, SRDC can create a food pavilion – a combination of barbecue, food stalls, eateries and drinks in one area. This will become another attraction for this township,” he suggested.
Meanwhile, SRDC chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai urged the 10 smokehouse operators to make good use of the facilities provided by the council to improve the competitiveness of their barbecue food business.
He stressed that only those who are committed will reap the fruits of labour.
“Therefore, with the good food and clean environment, they can attract customers to patronise their stalls. Ensuring good hygiene and cleanliness in food handling and preparation is most important, adhering strictly to the council’s guidelines,” Sempurai said in his welcoming address.
He recalled the operators of Sibu Jaya smokehouse started with temporary canopies previously at Gawai Dayak Bazaar.
Then, as their business received better response and demand from the Sibu Jaya residents, they started to ply their trade daily, Sempurai said.
“The ‘rumah asap’ is also part of the LKRA ( Local Key Result Areas) agenda in the creation of business opportunities for the people under the council’s strategic planning and balanced scorecard in addition to the night market for Sibu Jaya folk to earn extra income from this food business.”
He praised the organiser and Sibu Jaya smokehouse committee for working closely with the council to make the place conducive and comfortable for traders and the public.
Sempurai also sang praises of co- organising chairman Cr Jeffrey Nuing and Sibu Jaya smokehouse committee chairman Welson Maling Bayang.
Also present at the launching were political secretary to the chief minister Daniel Bujal and SRDC deputy chairman Cr Robert Lau Hui Yew.