Funding sought to study proposed devt authority
KAPIT: The state government has been asked to fund a viability study on the proposed Rajang Development Authority ( Reda).
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said he hoped Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg would approve funding for a study by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak ( Unimas) and other institutions, during his first official visit here as Chief Minister.
Nanta explained Kapit comes under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy ( SCORE) as it is where the Bakun, Murum and upcoming Baleh dams are located.
“SCORE will be more based on industry and jobs on the technical level. Local people who can get themselves trained would then find jobs mostly in the Samalaju Industrial Park.
“But who is going to take care of, look into the specific aspects of development in the longhouses, Kapit town, Song town, Belaga town, and Tunoh, which we hope to develop. The town is to be developed in Tunoh, Bukit Mabong District,” he said in an interview.
According to Nanta, having Reda would speed up the pace of development for these areas.
“If we make a comparison with areas having regional development authorities, they have more focused budgets, more focused attention and more focused activities to improve the standard of living through various projects, whether they are infrastructure or services, including bringing in Internet services,” he said.
Nanta said that Kapit folk have many ideas on how the area can be developed.
“Infrastructure and amenities development are quite straight forward – to build roads, have treated water supply, electricity supply that is on the grid or off grid. But for the planning of the economic development of the area, this may be a little bit more challenging.
“It requires innovation and imagination because this area – terrain wise and the soil – may be quite challenging.
“It may not be so fertile in certain areas or most areas in the broken hills, but nevertheless, we still have to do something on the land we have so that we can create economic activities to provide an income for the people,” he stressed.
Nanta suggested land could be organised for integrated agricultural development projects.
“So we need to have a body or organisation to really organise our efforts, to organise our resources like finance, so that we are more efficient and better able to meet the target. This is what I am hopeful for during the visit of the YAB CM when he comes to Kapit.
“Of course on the wish list, we have a lot of things. Some organisations ask for financial assistance, some areas we need roads, access roads.
“We have the whole menu on the wish list. But the more important one is what can turn into reality and become a game changer in elevating the economy of our people in rural areas,” he added.