By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Dec 19: Dalat will not only produce sago from sago palms, but it will be producing cooking gas from sago waste as well.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the revenues generated from both sides would then bring more income for the people in the district who depends on the sago industry.
In revealing the state government’s plan to establish a Sago Board similar to the Malaysian Cocoa Board to monitor and further develop the sago industry, he said a prototype of the sago waste treatment and processing system has already been set up in Kampung Teh, Dalat.
“The other day, I have given some funds to Craun (Research) to invest in the research to get by-products from sago waste, and in Kampung Teh we tried to get methane.
“Methane can be separated into propane and butane and those are the components needed to produce LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas). LPG is stored in cylinders for cooking.
“At Kampung Teh, we had a prototype where we connected the pipes in houses to produce gas for cooking. With that, there’s no need for gas cylinders anymore, once you turn it on, there will be gas for you to cook,” he said at the officiating ceremony of Dalat Waterfront Phase Two and BazaarNita Fatima Dalat today.
Abang Johari was responding to Dalat assemblyman Datuk Seri Hajah Fatimah Abdullah who has requested the development of a centralised sago wastewater collection and treatment plant with biogas capturing and upgrading facilities in Dalat.
Acknowledging the great contribution of Dalat’s sago that is placed fourth in crop export after palm oil, fisheries and pepper, he also agreed to the upgrade of Dalat Waterfront Phase One which is shaped just like a sago palm.
Fatimah, who is also Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister said with the completion of Dalat Waterfront Phase Two which is the right half of the ‘sago palm’ building, the left half (Phase One) seems to be lacking.
“Dalat Waterfront is kind of unbalanced now. The review tower symbolises the trunk of the sago palm, the roof on the right is the branches and sago. But there is no roof or ‘branches’ on the left side.
“For that reason, I on behalf of all Dalat residents, request for the upgrade of Dalat Waterfront to include the other side of the roof to complete this symbol,” she said.
With regards to this, Abang Johari voiced no objection as he said “if the left side is missing, let there be another side of the sago palm and make it complete”.
He asserted that this would become a meaningful symbol, signifying the sustenance of the people in Dalat, the district that is rich in sago.—DayakDaily
