Watch out for ‘bogus’ officers, DCM warns Agriculture Dept
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah slams the irresponsible act by a number of former officers who claim that they still have the authority to approve any subsidy or project coming from the Agriculture Department.
Uggah – also Minister of Agriculture Native Land and Regional Development Sarawak – said he was informed about this issue during a meeting with Agriculture officers from the divisional office in Sri Aman yesterday.
“This issue was raised by (Sri Aman assemblyman Datuk) Francis Harden Hollis. The allegation is that some former officers of the department have been distributing subsidy application forms.
“We do not know what their intention is, but we believe that they are trying to mislead the people into supporting them in the coming elections,” he said, stressing that any former officer or staff member of the department would not have any right to distribute such forms under the premise that they ‘meant to help the farmers’.
“Neither do they hold any authority to approve any project or subsidy from the department.
“It’s sad that they continue to mislead the people into thinking that they have such right.
“In this regard, we remind the people that only serving officers are allowed to distribute the genuine forms,” he pointed out.
On a separate matter, Uggah said the state government under the ruling coalition of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) had been taking firm steps towards increasing the incomes of farmers, breeders and fishermen across Sarawak. “It remains our objective to raise the income of each (farmer’s) family to RM4,000 per month. We are now coming up with and implementing strategies and programmes aimed at that direction.”
Meanwhile, the meeting yesterday was called to review the progress in the implementation of projects under the Agriculture Facilitation Fund slated for Sri Aman Division.
Francis, Bukit Begunan assemblyman Datuk Mong Dagang, Lingga assemblywoman Simoi Peri and Agriculture Department Sarawak deputy director Ngap Dollah Salam also attended the meeting.
Earlier in Kuching, Uggah attended a meeting to discuss the government’s plan of building a new civic centre for the city.
He said a 3.11-hectare site at Jalan Astana here had been identified and approved by the Sarawak Planning Unit.
“We will have a meeting soon with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg regarding the construction cost,” said Uggah.
On the existing 31-year-old Kuching Civic Centre, Uggah said the structure would not be demolished – instead, it would undergo renovation and upgrading works.
“RM7 million has been approved for this purpose,” he said.