KUCHING, Sept 10 — The Sri Aman riverbank will be expanded to provide more facilities for people in the area, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.

He said the improvement of the riverbank would also facilitate the residents there to increase their catch of ikan bulu, which is synonymous with the town of Simanggang.

“The Sri Aman elected representative did ask for this waterfront to be extended until upstream (Batang Lupar) so that we have a place to bring the ikan bulu caught for Sri Aman. We will continue with this waterfront project with the allocation that we will provide so as to improve facilities.

“There will be a specific position (of the waterfront construction) and (it) will not jeopardise the current waterfront. This development will enhance Sri Aman’s features,” he said at the launching of the Sri Aman Benak Festival 2022 at the Sri Aman riverbank today.

Also present were Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and Sarawak Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

Meanwhile, touching on the renaming of the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development, which will be announced soon, Abang Johari said the move was taken to get rid of the image of farmers as a community that lives a hard life.

“Farmers are assumed to lead a hard life, holding a hoe and wearing a hat, but actually agriculture is a sector that uses new methods, including digital technology in food production,” he said. — Bernama