The Star Malaysia

Barisan’s Wong aims to revive agro-tourism

- By ONG HAN SEAN hansean@thestar.com.my

TEMERLOH: Barisan Nasional’s Mentakab state seat candidate Datuk Wong Tat Chee plans to boost the local economic developmen­t by reviving industries and focusing on agro-tourism if elected.

The 56-year-old businessma­n said job opportunit­ies would be created by gearing the small town towards oil and gas industries.

“My company is in this field. If elected, I will fight for infrastruc­ture and the budget to make Mentakab an industrial zone,” he said.

Wong said there was also potential to tap into agro-tourism in Mentakab.

“By opening more homestays and people's bazaar, surely we can stim- ulate downstream cultural activities such as silat and gasing. I will also look for the budget to build more fish farms in Sungai Semantan to attract more tourists,” he said.

The Temerloh MCA chief also said a people's cooperativ­e could be formed to develop abandoned land, especially swamps in Mentakab, into commercial livestock farms.

These plans for economic developmen­t would be timely seeing that the East Coast Rail Link would have a station in Mentakab, said Wong.

“If I am elected and Barisan rules Putrajaya again, I am confident that what I am fighting for will greatly improve the economy of Mentakab and benefit the people here.”

Wong is locked in a four-way clash with PAS' Abirerah Awang Chik, DAP's Woo Chee Wan and Independen­t candidate Datuk Chuah Boon Seong for the state seat.

 ??  ?? Reaching out: Wong meeting with Mentakab constituen­ts on the campaign trail.
Reaching out: Wong meeting with Mentakab constituen­ts on the campaign trail.

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