Over 200 sign up to join Nanga Antawau society
KAPIT: More than 200 landowners have signed up to join the Nanga Antawau Baleh Welfare Society ( Nakwa).
Legal adviser Edward Moal said the landowners were recruited during a membership drive for the society’s launching at Rumah Laso on Tuesday.
“The response was very encouraging. That evening itself, more than 200 villagers registered and the process is ongoing in Kapit and Kuching for the denizens of Nanga Antawau,” he told the media.
He called on contractors involved in the Baleh Hydroelectric Dam project to work closely with the association and local community.
“The purpose of this association is to protect and safeguard the rights, interests, and welfare of the people of Nanga Antawau who own the land. Rights on land at a reasonable rate of compensation; interest on children’s education opportunities and assistance; employment opportunities for the locals; priority for locals who fit or match the employment; welfare such as better infrastructure and amenities especially road access for the locals.
“We have forwarded our memorandum – among other things is to relocate our village to another site with proper planning with better basic infrastructure and amenities – road access, water supply, electricity supply, school, church, etc,” he explained.
Over 400 villagers from four Nanga Antawau longhouses attended the launching.
Among them were Penghulu Jampi Raweng, former Pelagus assemblyman George Lagong, as well as entreprenuers Datuk Kristoffer Nyuak and Pujal Jantai.
For more information, contact Nakwa chairman Jeffery Kumbong on 0135798482, or the association’s office on 082-266505, or email nawa.kuh@ gmail. com.