SIBU: The people are urged to remain vigilant and to be on their best guard so that they can celebrate next year’s Gawai or all other festivities with even greater freedom and joy.
The call was made by Deputy Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas in his Hari Gawai message.
“Let us all continue to uphold the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) strictly. To the Dayaks, the Gawai is a celebration of a successful harvest season. I believe, from our perspective, we have a lot more reasons to celebrate this year.
“We are celebrating a very successful COVID-19 Mass vaccination where 91 per cent of our qualified population are vaccinated and 89.51 per cent had received their booster dose.
“We are celebrating the dawn of a new era, ushered in by the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCSD) 2030. This is the way forward for us to be more developed, progressive, and prosperous by 2030,” he said.
Uggah said that the data, innovations, and technologies bred by PCDS 2030 were the brainchild of Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“We are celebrating the tenacity, the “Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban” spirit of our Premier, in fighting to reclaim more of our eroded rights under the MA63. Thus, it will give him the luxury of extra motivation, extra strength, if we remain solidly behind him,” he said.
Politically, Uggah said that the state was celebrating the people’s continuing strong faith and confidence in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government’s leadership.
“This is sufficiently manifested in the December state election where GPS won 76 of the 82 seats contested. Let me reassure you here the GPS government will double and re-double its efforts and commitment to better empower, in particular, our rural community,” he said.
Uggah shared that when he was appointed to lead the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD), there were a few issues, especially close to his heart.
“I had announced some time ago that the government would endeavour to link up all settlements (including longhouses and villages) state-wide.
“In the pursuit of this, I have directed all divisional engineers of the Public Works Department or JKR to identify and report to me all those settlements still without any road.
“This means more new roads need to be built. In addition, the government is looking at suitable logging and oil palm plantations road to be repaired or upgraded,” he said.
Uggah pointed out that the Public Works Department (JKR) in a workshop on state road data in March this year said Sarawak had a total of 6,521 settlements.
“Of these, some 3,819 settlements are connected while 1,388 are connected but their roads need upgrading. Some 1,314 others do not have any road,” he said.
The deputy premier also revealed that Sarawak currently had 30,650 km of state roads and 1,591 km of federal roads.
“Of these, 5,645 kilometres are in satisfactory condition while upgrading is deemed necessary for 4, 200km kilometres.
“The above do not include private oil palm plantations and timber camp roads. There is also the proposal to construct about 6,000 km of a new road to complete the state-wide loop.
“We target to achieve this by 2030. Without the roads, those settlements and their vast and rich hinterlands will remain our last frontiers.
“By no means, these are not the only development initiatives and programmes. We have many more. These and especially those under the PCDS 2030 demand the people’s committed support to materialise.
“Please give us your total support, participation and commitment so that our beloved Sarawak can be a high-income region by 2030.”
Uggah advised everyone to pay extra care to their safety during the festive season.
“With these words, my family and I would like a very happy Gawai celebration. Bulih limpah, Bulih Tuah, Bulih Pengerai Nguan Menoa.
