Awang Tengah points to a site slated for drainage infrastructure at the village, as Sairi (right) and Anisah (behind Awang Tengah) look on.
LAWAS: Farm roads are most beneficial to farmers and thus, landowners are encouraged to allow such roads to go through their land.
Saying this was Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who reasoned that landowners should be receptive to the idea of roads going through their land for the benefit of all.
“Many farm road projects are delayed, including several in Merapok, because landowners refuse to allow these roads to pass through their land,” he said.
Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Urban Development and Resources, said this when officiating at the launch of the Limbang Division-level World Water Day 2021 celebration, conducted by the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) at Kampung Undop in Ulu Merapok here yesterday.
He said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government was people-friendly in its governance, and strove to provide infrastructure and amenities, skills-training and other forms of assistance to the people, and at the same time, would care for the environment.
Pointing to the importance of water to humans, animals and plants, he said it was also the bedrock of many civilisations, which were supported by the river system where the lack of or excessive water could result in catastrophic consequences.
“Economic activities such as agriculture cannot go on without water. We must therefore keep our rivers clean and protect water catchment areas against pollution.”
Awang Tengah also commended the over 60 residents of Kampung Undop for their participation in the clean-up works on Merapok River to remove debris and also logs, saying that this could help minimise flooding and loss of properties.
On the request forwarded by the village headman Sairy Bamdas, Awang Tengah said culverts had already been approved by the DID to be built along the farm roads – a project to be undertaken by the Agriculture Department if the landowners would agree to ‘let go of their land’ for the purpose.
Awang Tengah also called upon the villagers in Ulu Merapok to support the GPS-led government for continued progress and their wish for a harmonious state despite the diverse religious, cultural and racial backgrounds.
He added that the use of the word ‘Allah’ by the Christians was never an issue in Sarawak – unlike in Peninsular Malaysia – and urged Sarawakians to reject this kind of politics.
“Support homegrown political parties in GPS such as PBB, and reject parties and their jarring politics from outside Sarawak although they may be represented by locals,” he said.
Awang Tengah’s wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud, Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Regional Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Limbang Resident Ahmad Denney Ahmad Fauzi, Lawas District Officer Ladin Atok, and divisional DID engineer Anisah Ahmad were also present at the function.
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