By Ling Hui, Nur Ashikin Louis and Chris Bishop
KUCHING, June 19: Due to popular demand, the Sarawak government will be establishing two new development agencies namely the Rajang Delta Development Agency and Betong Development Agency.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Rajang Delta Development Agency, a regeneration of RASCOM (Rajang Area Security Command), will cover areas from Daro, Pulau Bruit and Jemoreng up to Mukah.
He also announced that the new development agency will will be chaired by Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development Datu Len Talif Salleh.
“Then, for Betong area, we also want to set up one in Betong. I have already asked Uggah (Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas) to draw out the boundaries.
“(It will include areas like) Kabong, Kalaka, and Maludam. Uggah will find the boundaries first,” said Abang Johari during his ending speech at the 15th PBB Convention in Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
He said these will be additions to the existing six development agencies namely the Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA), Highland Development Agency (HDA), Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA), Integrated Regional Samarahan Development Agency (IRSDA), Sri Aman Development Agency (SADA), and the latest Greater Kuching Coordinated Development Agency (GKCDA).
Looking at the bigger picture, Abang Johari said by delegating Sarawak’s development into the hands of several development agencies, overall development will be expedited.
“You see in Peninsular Malaysia, they have their states like Melaka, Kelantan, Pulau Pinang, Terenggau, Pahang, Kedah and so on. In Sarawak, we only have Sarawak.
“So, if we do this (with the development agencies), we give RM1.5 billion budget to each of the development agencies, and the overall development will be very fast,” he added. — DayakDaily
