Unity Minister calls for Kanowit, Selangau folks to venture into sustainable economy

KANOWIT (Aug 18): Avoid ‘touch and go’ subsistence economic activities that promise short-term profits, but go for long-term profitable ones when applying for the Mid Rajang Regional Development Agency’s (Mirrda) funding, said Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

The National Unity Minister, who is also Mirrda chairman, said this when officiating at ‘Segulai Sejalai’ programme at Dewan Penghulu Seribu in Nanga Tada here yesterday.

“During Mirrda’s workshop in Sibu recently, many proposed to do poultry rearing and vegetable farming.

“All these are doable but the economic projects implemented under Mirrda will be based on the ‘money in the bank’ concept.

“This means that we can already see the results of all the projects that will be implemented. If the project can yield results monthly, only then it can be done.

“We want all projects to be implemented under Mirrda to be sustainable, meaning the project that you do today will still yield results 25 years later,” he explained, citing the oil palm cultivation as among the favourable prospects for economic sustainability.

Having covered the Kanowit and Selangau parliamentary constituencies, he said the agency is committed to raise standards of living, improve households’ income, and ultimately eradicate poverty among the rural communities.

“Our target is for the people to earn between RM6,000 to RM8,000 monthly,” he stressed.

The ‘Segulai Sejalai’ programme was held to gather longhouse residents from four former major Rajang Security Command (RASCOM) resettlements namely Nanga Tada, Nanga Sekuau, Nanga Jagau and Nanga Ngungun.

It was organised as part of the activities to mark the golden jubilee celebration of the formation of the resettlements.

The resettlements were set up by Rascom in 1972 as a security measure to combat communist threat in the Rejang Basin.

Nanga Jagau was the first set up on April 2 followed by Nanga Ngungun on Sept 9, Nanga Sekuau on Nov 1 and Nanga Tada on Dec 12.

At the event, Aaron announced a grants of RM20,000 for the organising committee, in the presence of his political secretary Dr Stephen Williams; Sarawak Premier political secretary Petrus Igat; Kanowit police chief DSP Dennis Bunyam; Nanga Tada community leader Penghulu Ugap Seribu; Nanga Jagau community leader Penghulu Juni Masam; Nanga Sekuau community leader Penghulu Andrewson Ngalai; and event chairman Councillor Henry Kanyan.