Sarawak govt fully supports Area Devt committees
KUCHING: Area development committees have a big role to play in coming up with plans and proposals to develop their respective areas which they can forward to the government for consideration.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said the Sarawak government was all for such committees.
“The committees too are in the best position to let the government know what the people want and their plans,” he said yesterday.
Meanwhile,Uggah who is Minister for Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development received a courtesy call from members of the San Area Development Action Committee led by its chairman Penghulu Anthony Kule Lalo when he was in Miri recently.
The San area in Telang Usan has about 220 families from 10 Kenyah and one Penan longhouses. It is also in the newly created Highland Development Agency (HDA) area.
Uggah added with the HDA, the people there would be able to see many development coming within the next two years starting next year especially in infrastructure, economic, education and social fields.
“The area too has huge potential in agriculture activities like kelulut honey production, coffee growing, fish rearing through the ‘Tagang’ system and tourism.
“The government now encourages the people to go into modern commercial agriculture due to better management, productivity and returns. The private sector is expected to be the main player in this respect.
“When they invest, they will also invest in infrastructure development which will benefit the people besides creating jobs,” he said.
He said a suitable model on joint ventures between the landowners and investors would need to be worked out for a winwin situation for both sides.
On another matter, Uggah said Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) would be asked to identify suitable sites there for agriculture land use and decide between Native Customary Rights land and state land.
Later he announced a grant of RM20,000 for the committee.
Penghulu Anthony in his speech earlier said it was the people’s hope for San to be elevated to a sub- district which would help them much in attending to official matters.
He also expressed the hope that Uggah could advise the people there on the suitable course of action in agriculture so that they could move forward and be more progressive.