By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Feb 16: There must be scrutiny over the Sago and Nipah Development Board’s (SNDB) financial statements to ensure all its borrowings and spendings are well accounted for.
This is the concern raised by Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap during his debate on the Sago and Nipah Development Board Bill, 2022 in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.
He read, under Section 34 of the Bill on borrowing powers: “The Board may from time to time for the purposes of this ordinance raise loans from the government or with consent of the Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri from any other sources”.
“There must be an audit. So, who will be the auditor of this particular board to make sure that the money that is put in, the borrowings that it makes (are accounted for)?
“There must be somebody to overlook all these things,” said Yap, who was all for the Bill to develop the sago and nipah industries of Sarawak.
He said audit was his only concern while applauding the proposed functions of SNDB and its provisions to the local industries.
“With that, I hope the MMKN will look into this to make sure that the functions of the Board and its novel aims and objectives will be achieved.”
The Bill which proposes to establish SNDB was tabled by Minister of Agriculture Modernisation and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom and passed earlier today.
SNDB is an initiative under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture Modernisation and Regional Development Sarawak to promote, facilitate and develop the sago and nipah industries as a new frontier to maximize economic returns and increase smallholders’ income.
The Board will also formulate strategic objectives, policies and priorities for the orderly development and administration of both sago and nipah in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
