By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Aug 5: Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong has invited Minister of Rural Development Abdul Latiff Ahmad to visit the interior areas of the constituency not accessible by roads using the longboat.
Ugak has also offered to treat Abdul Latiff with empurau fish when he visits while urging the federal government to understand the plight and needs of the rural community living in the remotest region in Sarawak.
“The Penan community in Sarawak have been waiting for this good news (approved road projects) for many decades.
“Hulu Rajang is my hometown. I have been applying for the road projects since 2013 until now. At present, we still need to use the water transport to get to the longhouses.
“As such I urged the government to adopt and provide allocations for the road projects especially in Hulu Rajang constituency so that the local people who have waited for decades can benefit from it,” he told the Dewan Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur today.
Earlier on, Abdul Latiff disclosed that the projects to upgrade logging roads at Tegulang Resettlement Scheme and Metalun Resettlement Scheme in Kapit Division are now on appointment of consultants before the tender process expected in March 2021.
“The projects involving Phase Five Tegulang Resettlement Scheme and Phase Six Metalun Resettlement Scheme have been approved.
“The projects were to be implemented under Rolling Plan 3 of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) in 2018 with a total cost of RM61 million and RM112 million,” he said in responding to Ugak on the development of rural road projects in Hulu Rajang constituency.
Abdul Latiff also informed that the roads from Rh Nyamuk to SMK Baleh and to Rh Layang, Nanga Kait in Baleh have been applied under the road project from Nanga Gaat to Rh Tunku, Nanga Sebiro, Sg Gat in the Kapit Division which is under road construction of Rh Gari, Rh Gayang, Sg Kait, SK Nanga Kait and SMK Baleh.
“The projects are to be implemented under the Rolling Plan of 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) in 2021,” he added.
On Ugak’s requests, Abdul Latiff said both of them needed to meet with the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to further discuss and plan on the matters.
Ugak replied: “I will wait for your call anytime (to meet with the EPU), from morning till night.” —DayakDaily
