Kaingaran Mesej Scheme will be development model for Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: The Kaingaran Mini Estet Sejahtera ( Mesej) Scheme, packed with various basic amenities, will be the development model in Sabah, said Rural Development minister, Ewon Benedick.
He said, the Mesej participants in the Tambunan area were not only provided complete housing facilities with electricity and gravity water but other social amenity facilities as well.
“I am very satisfied with the progress of the Kaingaran Mesej. If I look at the facilities in this area, I can say, this is a Mesej development model that we can take to other areas,” he said at the project’s site in Tambunan yesterday.
The 300- acre Kaingaran Mesej land has 33 houses and a multipurpose hall equipped with electricity, water, kitchen space, office room and toilet.
Other facilities available include an 8.9 km asphalt road that connects the project to Pekan Tambunan, concrete roads to houses and spacious housing areas for gardening.
All 33 participants of the scheme comprised household heads from the hardcore poor group or Ketua Isi Rumah Miskin Tegar (KIRMT) in Tambunan.
Regarding 52 other Mesej projects across Sabah, Ewon, who is also Kadamaian assemblyman, said that some are in the process of development whilst others involved participant selection and screening.
He added that dividends are given to projects such as the Keningau Palm Oil Mesej while the Tambunan project will enjoy the same dividends next year.
Ewon also wants the poverty eradication programme for rural community in the state, especially Mesej, to have value- added to increase its effectiveness in reducing hardcore poverty rates.
He said it is important to ensure that the vision of the government could be realised in line with the aspirations and wants of the people.
According to Sabah Rubber Industry Board ( SRIB) regional officer, Alexius Madiun, the Kaingaran Rubber Mesejis one of 17 rubber- based Mesejacross the state.
So far, 52 Sabah Mesej projects in Sabah have a minimum of 33 participants.
Of these, 34 are agriculturebased (rubber and palm oil), six aquaculture- based (oyster, seaweed and others), nine are micro agricultural and micro aquaculture, whilst three implemented an integrated program ( Swing and Duck Layer).