BETONG, Oct 5: The move by Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to form the Village Community Development Council (MPKK) was a serious affront to the credibility of longhouse chiefs, ketua kampung and kapitan.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah criticised that it showed that the Democratic Action Party (DAP), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and other PH political parties leaders have no confidence in the ability of community leaders to serve even though they were elected by their respective “anakbiaks” or followers.
“The MPKK committee members are political appointees. The existence of two leadership groups at each longhouse, kampung (village) and settlement are bound to cause frictions over policies and political differences,” he said.
“Ultimately, this will lead to quarrel, disunity and disharmony. In the end, instead of going forward, the people would be worst off than before,” he added.
Uggah highlighted this during a dialogue with community leaders and headmen from N36 Layar and N37 Bukit Saban state constituencies here today.
“So my advice is, since we already have the JKKK (Village Security and Development Committee), there is no need for the MPKK,” he advised.
The Sarawak government, he added, will continue to “recognise the signatures” of all community leaders.
He also urged the people not to be taken in by the arguments that rejecting the formation of MPKK, they would be deprived of the RM10,000 annual development fund for each longhouse, kampung or settlement.
“We believe the amount is unfair as there are longhouses which are over 100 doors and there are those with less than 15 doors and there are kampung with 80 houses,” he said, wondering how would the amount be fairly shared.
He also informed that each Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) elected representatives has RM5 million in Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) fund for development, besides the Minor Rural Project (MRP) fund.
“It has been and will always be the GPS government policy to bring more development and progress to the people in the efforts to upgrade their standard of living,” he reiterated.
For these reasons, Uggah who is also Second Finance Minister and Minister of Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development, said they should opposed the formation of the MPKK.
He also took to task Saratok PKR MP Ali Biju who said the formation of MPKK should be carried out as the GPS government had prevented community leaders from attending all PH elected representatives functions in their respective areas.
“When his functions are well attended by them, he chooses to keep quiet. But then, he keeps on harping that they are prevented,” he said.
Touching on the development plans for Betong division, he emphasised that efforts were being put to develop the Bukit Sadok Agropolitan Areas and the Sarikei/Betong Food Basket Areas.
“Some 60,000 hectares in the food basket areas had been identified and had very good potentials,” he said.
“The Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has promised to allocate an even bigger budget for the agriculture sector next year,” he added.
Meanwhile, at the dialogue session, all community leaders who spoke voiced their complete confidence in the GPS government to lead the state.
They also expressed their opposition to the setting up of MPKK.— DayakDaily
