BETONG, Feb 18: Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has proposed placing incinerators in all big towns in the Betong division to address increasing household and commercial waste, with the aim of being the cleanest division in the country.
He said the total generated waste will continue to increase as more developments are taking place in the Division under the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA).
“There will be the ever-increasing household and commercial waste generated. We cannot just rely on landfills to deal with this.
“Thus, I am thinking of having incinerators in all big towns in the division. I will have a meeting shortly here on how best to address this issue,” he said when speaking at a gathering of civil servants from Betong Division at Dewan Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan last night (Feb 17).
To turn Betong into a regional food hub and increase the local community’s income, Uggah, who is Bukit Saban assemblyman and BDDA chairman, further said the agency will start introducing modern precision farming practices like fertigation and others.
“We have two agroparks in Bebuling and Lubok Tamang. Perhaps we should create a few more.
“Additionally, the Spaoh sub-district has been earmarked for an annual double harvest paddy project,” he stated.
At the same time, he said BDDA has allocated RM16 million to construct a replica of Rentap Fort at Bukit Sadok, hoping that a tourism masterplan will be ready within the next two years.
Also present were Betong MP Dr Richard Rapu, Batang Lupar MP Mohd Shafizan Kepli, Saribas assemblyman Dato Mohd Razi Sitam, political secretary to Sarawak Premier Roseline Mapong and Betong Resident Richard Micheal Abunawas. — DayakDaily
