SPAOH: Several big “Projek Rakyat” (people’s projects) will be completed this year, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
“Among them will be the new sub-district office costing RM5 million which is expected to be ready by September this year.
“The next one will be the RM3.5 million Spaoh Agriculture Centre,” he told a Chinese New Year gathering organised by the Spaoh Tiong Hua Association at the community hall here on Friday night.
Uggah added that other projects being built were the RM14 million Spaoh Sports Complex, the RM5 million new market and the RM6.2 million Spaoh Waterfront.
The second biggest and iconic RM30 million bridge crossing the Paku River to the town would be constructed, he said, due to the increasing importance of the Betong/Sarikei Food Basket area.
“Initially, we budgeted RM7 million for it but, at the advice of the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg who acknowledged the area’s agriculture potentials, we revised our plan,” he said.
Spaoh is also poised to have a RM108.3 million airport within the next four years to transport fresh products from the area to the market.
Uggah, who is also the Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development Minister, said all these projects proved that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government and its leaders were not making empty promises.
“We are walking the talk. Of course, the actual implementation will need some time.
“And we still have a lot to do in other areas as well,” he said.
Uggah reminded the rural communities to reorganise and restrengthen their respective village security and development committees.
“Beginning this year, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government will be forming its Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP).
“It is nothing more than a tool for the PH government to take control of the state government.
“Once they achieve this, they will take away our many rights and wealth,” he said, adding that Abang Johari had allocated a sum of RM100 million to strengthen the Village Security and Development Committees (JKKKs) this year.
On the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) sickness, Uggah warned that the rural folks should be just as concerned as others in ensuring it did not affect them.
“Please follow all the recommendations of the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN), the Health Ministry (MoH) and other relevant authorities.
“The sickness has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as it has spread to more than 20 nations.
“Thus, we must be on guard for any eventuality. On the part of the state government, we have and will continue to put in place all the necessary steps and actions to contain its possible spread,” he added.
At the event, Uggah distributed ‘angpow’ (red envelopes containing cash) to 39 senior citizens and announced grants totalling about RM290,000 for various organisations in Spaoh.
Present at the gathering were chairman of the Spaoh Tiong Hua Association Walter Chang, Betong MP Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat, Science Advisor to the state government Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, a political secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Richard Rapu and Betong Resident Friday Belik.
