By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 13: Wisma SALCRA in Kota Samarahan has been renamed Menara Alfred Jabu (Alfred Jabu Tower) in honour of former Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang for his role in establishing and shaping the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA).
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced the renaming at SALCRA’s Golden Jubilee Dinner at Imperial Hotel last night (Oct 12), describing it as a tribute from the younger generation to the leaders who laid the foundation for the organisation.
“Tonight, we express our thanks to Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu. He was the one who set this in motion, and it was continued by all the leaders who served as chairmen.
“It is therefore fitting that our SALCRA building in Samarahan be named after him,” he said.
Abang Johari said he and Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas were part of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s (PBB) Youth Wing when SALCRA was established in 1976, making them part of the second generation of leaders acknowledging their predecessors’ contributions.
“I was still in the Youth Wing in 1976. Douglas Uggah and I were part of that generation, and we, as the second generation, want to thank the first generation,” he said.
In a citation read at the dinner, Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development and SALCRA chairman Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom traced the authority’s origins to March 24, 1976, when Alfred Jabu, then Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Land and Mineral Resources, moved the Bill to establish SALCRA in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly.
The Bill was passed that afternoon, and SALCRA was officially established on May 1, 1976.
Alfred Jabu served as SALCRA chairman from 1976 to 1981 and again from 1998 to 2017. Under his leadership, the authority expanded its estates, developed mills and built businesses that became the foundation of its operations.
The citation also highlighted his efforts to gain the confidence of Native landowners by visiting longhouses, explaining SALCRA’s mission and addressing concerns about developing their land. The authority was established to help rural communities unlock the economic potential of their land by combining landowners’ resources and labour with government funding and technical support.
The renaming was approved by the Sarawak State Cabinet on Sept 24, 2026, according to the citation.
“Tonight, therefore, we are doing more than renaming a building. We are placing a name upon a legacy,” Dr Rundi said.
The Golden Jubilee celebration, held under the theme “Sow, Grow and Prosper”, also saw the launch of SALCRA’s new corporate logo, featuring a stylised “S” inspired by the terabai, a traditional Sarawak shield symbolising the organisation’s Sarawak identity, strength and unity.
A special recognition ceremony honoured former SALCRA chairmen Alfred Jabu (May 1976–May 1981; January 1998–January 2017), Dato Sri Gramong Juna (October 1990–June 1992), Datuk Peter Nyarok Ak. Entrie (July 1992–April 1994), Dato Musa Giri (May 1994–January 1996) and Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas (January 2017–March 2022).
Former general managers Sidi Munan (May 1976–July 1984), Dato Leonard Martin Uning (January–December 1996), William Jitab (January–October 1997) and Datu Vasco Sabat Singkang (October 1997–December 2019) were also recognised for their service and contributions to the authority.
The event also saw the launch of SALCRA’s 50th anniversary commemorative book, “Land, People and Progress: Five Decades of SALCRA and Rural Transformation in Sarawak – 50 Years 1976–2026”, authored by Dr Regina Garai and Datu Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat. — DayakDaily
