Uggah: BDDA approves 208 projects worth RM1.464 bln in Betong

BETONG (May 19): The Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA) has approved a total of 208 projects worth RM1.464 billion, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

Uggah said one project has been completed while nine are being implemented and 198 are in the pre-contract stage as of May this year.

He said the projects are divided into six sectors namely the infrastructure development sector; the social and women development sector; the agriculture and food industry development sector; the tourism and environmental development sector; the utility and telecommunication sector and the business industrial and entrepreneurship development sector.

“Under the infrastructure development sector, the BDDA has approved 67 projects worth RM552.24 million and RM384.59 million has been approved for 45 projects under the social and women development sector.

“The BDDA has also approved 42 projects worth RM255.92 under the agriculture and food industry development sector,” he said when officiating at the Pre-Gawai Dayak dinner at Dewan Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan here last night.

Uggah said the agency has also received a significant boost with 32 projects worth RM138.54 approved under the business industrial and entrepreneurship development sector.

“The tourism and environmental development sector has seen 13 projects worth RM98.9 million approved while under the utility and telecommunication sector, nine projects worth RM34.9 million have been approved,” he said.

Uggah, who is also Bukit Saban assemblyman and Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, said Betong is among the divisions which put emphasis on digitalisation and the digital economy.

Even the lucky draw sessions at the event last night were done online and not the conventional way of using pieces of paper, he added.

Noting that children’s educational development is a shared responsibility, Uggah said parents and community leaders should play their part in boosting human capital.

They must also make sure their respective areas are not left behind others in terms of educational development, he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu in his welcoming speech, said the Dewan Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan will be a venue for the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024’s weightlifting event.

As the game’s chef de mission, Rentap hoped the Sarawak weightlifting team members would be competitive and take advantage of their home ground to win during the competition.

The Layar assemblyman also disclosed that a longhouse in Matop here will be the venue for Malaysian Tourism’s grand Gawai Dayak celebration on June 8, 2024.

The pre-Gawai Dayak dinner last night also featured the Pekit Kumang Gawai Betong 2024 event which offered cash prizes of RM10,000, RM8,000 and RM6,000 to the winner and the first and second runners up respectively.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community  Development (Community Well-being) Mohd Razi Sitam who is Saribas assemblyman, Betong MP Dr Richard Rapu, Krian assemblyman Friday Belik, Betong Resident Richard Michael Abunawas, State Public Works Deputy Director (Infrastructure) Morris Cassidy, State Advisor on Science Research Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang and event organising chairman Moris Nayub who is also Betong Land and Survey director.