By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Feb 15: Picture this: a resident of Selangau needing to spend RM20 on transportation fee to travel 60km to Bintulu town, where the nearest bank outlet is located, just to withdraw RM100 in government assistance.
Raising this, Selangau MP Edwin Banta told Parliament today that Selangau, which is near to Tatau town, with a population of around 30,000 does not have a single banking facility.
“Residents need to conduct certain banking tasks but just to withdraw or save even RM20, they have to go all the way down to Bintulu town which is located 60km from Tatau town just to get hold of a bank or ATM (automatic teller machine).
“So it is critical time for this problem (lack of banking facility in small and medium sized towns in Sarawak and Sabah) to be taken seriously,” he said when debating the Royal Address in Parliament, Kuala Lumpur today.
Edwin added that it is not necessary to set up a “five-star” bank outlet but a local bank branch will suffice, given that Tatau town has lively economic activities with several large oil palm plantations and a number of sawmills nearby.
“In addition, many people who are now traversing the Pan Borneo Highway would normally make a stopover at Tatau town,” he said.
With that, Edwin hopes to see at least a local bank branch being opened in Tatau in the near future. — DayakDaily
