By DayakDaily Team
BETONG, Sept 25: The Sarawak government is being urged to consider establishing a pilot training school at the Sarawak Centre of Technology Excellence (CENTEXS) Betong as part of efforts to open up new, higher-value economic opportunities for the area.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the proposed facility could create jobs and business opportunities for locals while laying the foundation for the development of an aviation-related industry in Betong.
He said the proposal had been discussed with Centexs, which had assessed the area and found its environment conducive to flight training, particularly due to the relatively low volume of aircraft movement.
“I have discussed this with Centexs. Tomorrow, I will submit an application to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to establish a pilot school so that we can train pilots and crew here in Betong.
“I was informed that the conditions here are very suitable. Centexs came and assessed the area and found it highly conducive for training because there is not much aircraft movement,” he told TVS when met during the Sarawakku Sayang programme here today.
Uggah said the proposed aviation hub could eventually be expanded beyond pilot training to include maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities, creating a broader aviation ecosystem in Betong.
He said such development would represent more than an improvement in logistics and connectivity, with the potential to become a catalyst for transforming the local economy.
“It is not just about moving goods, but about bringing new opportunities. That is why I say this will be among the biggest changes that will chart a new direction for the economy of the people of Betong,” he said.
Uggah said Betong’s economy had traditionally been anchored by agriculture, particularly the cultivation of oil palm and pepper.
While acknowledging the contribution of these sectors, he said they alone were insufficient to provide the range of high-value employment opportunities needed to retain younger residents in the area.
“We have a hardworking population engaged in planting oil palm and pepper, but that alone is not enough to encourage them to remain in Betong.
“We want our young people to stay here because we will also have an industrial centre in the future,” he said.
He said the planned development of an industrial area would complement the proposed aviation-related activities and help create a more diversified economic ecosystem.
Uggah also highlighted the potential multiplier effect of establishing a pilot training school, saying its economic benefits would extend to businesses outside the aviation sector.
“If there is a pilot school, the trainees will need food, accommodation and various other facilities. The spillover from the sector will create many opportunities.
“Residents can rear more chickens and cattle and supply food. The economy can also be diversified as the number of consumers and buyers increases,” he said.
Meanwhile, Uggah said the certification process for relevant facilities was currently subject to assessment by the appropriate certification body.
He expressed hope that the process could be completed as soon as possible, enabling products from Betong to gain wider market access, including internationally.
Among the local products with export potential are agar-agar, as well as black and white pepper, which are widely produced in the area.
Uggah said improved infrastructure and logistics connectivity would help local producers reach broader markets and support the wider effort to diversify Betong’s economy.
