SPAOH, May 5: The Spaoh Sub-District Longhouse Chiefs Association has been told to focus on promoting good academic performance among students preparing for UPSR examination and modern agriculture among families here.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this during the association pre-Gawai Dayak dinner here last night.
“I want more students to achieve 6As in the UPSR examination.
“These high achievers seem to be a very rare breed in rural areas compared to in the urban areas.
“Toward this end, I want the association to set up a special committee that will work closely with teachers to work out strategies to achieve this,” he said.
He suggested that they organise seminars for parents and motivational talks for the students.
Uggah said there was no alternative but for rural students to obtain excellent results in all their examinations as the way forward to have better lives later.
“Myself, Betong MP, Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat and Layar state assemblyman Gerald Rentap Jabu are ever willing to assist here,”he added.
Meanwhile, in conjunction with the coming Gawai Dayak and Hari Raya Aidilfitre celebrations, he reminded students from the state studying in universities and colleges in Peninsula Malaysia to make use of the RM300 airline ticket subsidy offered by the state government.
On modern agriculture, Uggah who is the Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development said that there are technologies designed for superior productivity.
“We have huge potential as we still have plenty of land available. The government has a plan for an airstrip here to transport farm produce to outside markets. Thus it is of absolute importance we have the volume to justify this airstrip.
“But the whole idea is for farmers themselves to be able to generate income from farming and at the same time for the state to be a net exporter of food and food products by 2030,” he said.
Uggah also said among the activities that farmers could consider was livestock rearing and the planting of banana, coconut, pineapple, durian and corn.
He said a model farm on fertigation farming would be open up in SMK Spaoh soon to enlighten the people on modern farming methods.
On politics, Uggah reiterated the need for rural folks to continue to give their strongest support to the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government in order to effectively protect the state’s natural wealth and rights, such as immigration autonomy.
Later, he announced a grant of RM30,000 to the longhouse association while Chuat and Rentap who were also present gave away RM20,000 and RM10,000 each respectively.
The dinner, attended by more than 1,000 people also saw the presentation of study incentives to students, development project awards, and certificates of appreciation to retiring community leaders and letters of appointment to those recently appointed.
Some 30 women who had completed a course in the making of the Iban’s almost forgotten art of the “Kain Burie” traditional wear were also presented with certificates of participation. — DayakDaily
