Adenan greeting the people upon his arrival at the hall of SMK Beladin. BETONG: The state government is willing to approve applications to use state lands in Betong constituency either for agriculture or for village expansion. In announcing this, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem pointed out that the scarcity of vacant lands in Beladin were among the major issues that had been identified by the state government. “Those who want to develop state land must identify the site first, this issue (scarcity of land) must be dealt with quickly,” said Adenan during the PBB Betong Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri at SMK Beladin multipurpose hall on Sunday. He urged the people to work together and set aside their differences as squabbles would hinder development ...

Hawkers at Kpg Bumbok prefer to stay put at the dilapidated stalls at the roadside that have been able to attract customers over the years. KUCHING: Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) will improve the new hawker centre at Kpg Bumbok, Batu Kitang with adequate facilities to make the place more conducive for both hawkers and customers. Its chairman Lo Khere Chiang said he could understand why the hawkers were reluctant to move to the new hawker centre due to the inconvenient access, absence of parking spaces and lighting. “What is happening is that the construction of the hawker centre is completed and we are now in the process of installing the lighting. We are faced with a problem whereby the transformer is too expensive so are looking into an alternative source of energy ...

SIBU: The Kakus constituency has been allocated 200 1Malaysia water tanks, said its assemblyman Assistant Minister of Local Government Datuk John Sikie Tayai. He was replying to a question about the allocation for 1Malaysia water tanks for the constituency and the water supply situation there following the prevailing dry and hot weather. “Recipients are, therefore, urged to make good use of their tanks,” Sikie, who is also Assistant Minister of Native Adat and Penan Affairs, told thesundaypost yesterday. Meanwhile during a recent briefing on the 1Malaysia Water Tank Supply Project here, state director of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, Jasni Jubli said a total of 13,217 1Malaysia Water Tanks would be distributed this year to six divisions, namely Sri ...

Adenan (fourth left) sharing a light moment with Dennis (on Adenan’s left), Jabu (third left), Ose (third right) and the Baram delegates. KUCHING: Six areas in Baram will be run as districts and sub-districts, beginning this Aug 1. The new districts are Beluru and Telang Usan, while the sub-districts are Mulu, Long Bedian, Tinjar and Bario. In addition, the state government has agreed to construct the Long Lama Bridge to enable the communities there to cross the Baram River with ease. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said he would officiate at a launch for the new project on July 30 to prove that the state government was sincere in helping Baram folk. “I have agreed to the building of the bridge. To prove it, I will launch it (project) ...

KUCHING: Four areas in Betong division, namely Sungai Pasir in Nyabor, Kabong, Sungai Bah, Emplam in Kabong (Area B), Sungai Wong in Roban and Melupa in Krian Tengah, Saratok, have been gazetted as Native Communal Reserve under Section 6 of the State Land Code. A statement from Land and Survey Department said this ruling would benefit 902 families living in these areas. “This means the landowners should not be worried about their land being encroached. This gazette is enough to prove ownership to the land and the boundaries of land belonging to them,” the statement said yesterday. Twenty-eight land titles were presented during a ceremony at the community hall in Saratok on July 1. It was graced by Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan, who is ...

Dayang Morliah and Awang Tengah present Raya goodies from SEB to a person with disabilities at the SEB ‘Buka Puasa’ event in Lawas. LAWAS: The state government spends some RM14.4 million a year in subsidies for about 100,000 domestic consumers with monthly electricity bills of RM20 and below. Minister of Public Utilities Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan disclosed this at the breaking of fast and presentation of Raya goodies by Sarawak Electricity Berhad (SEB) to people with disabilities, orphans and senior citizens at Hotel Seri Malaysia here on Saturday. “The government absorbs RM1.2 million each month for about 100,000 consumers who practically pay nothing,” he said. The minister pointed out that the lower power tariffs had also led to tangible ...

An aerial view of the collapsed high-level storage tank. SARIKEI: Villagers in Pulau Bruit near here will be able to enjoy treated water this Hari Raya Aidilfitri despite the untimely collapse of the under-construction high-level storage tank in Kampung Penipah on Monday. The 1.6-million litre high-level storage tank was a component of the RM54.5 million Rural Water Supply project to villagers in northern Pulau Bruit, Tanjung Manis MP Datuk Norah Tun Rahman told reporters after she was updated on the status of the project by the manager of Public Works Department (central region) John Aten and the contractor at the project site yesterday. Norah said the JKR officer and contractor had assured villagers in Tekajong, Bruit and Penipah that they would still be able to enjoy ...

The completed Bailey bridge across Sungai Sadir. A map shows the approximately 100-foot long road diversion. KUCHING: A road diversion near the stretch of Jalan Puncak Borneo that collapsed early this year will be completed before the end of the month. Padawan Municipal Council chairman Lo Khere Chiang said the temporary diversion only required two days to complete but the Public Works Department (JKR) is still awaiting compensation for the owners of two huts situated on the proposed site. “JKR is waiting for compensation to be disbursed to owners of the affected huts and the relocation of these huts to proceed further. Once relocation is done, stones as a road base will be laid and compacted,” he said yesterday when commenting on the latest regarding ...

Mawan and Nanta (right) help Najib put on a specially made ‘pua kumbu’ motif vest. KUCHING: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is determined to see all communities in the multi-racial makeup of the country benefit from mainstream development. According to him, the government would not allow any community, whether big or small, to be sidelined. “I am committed to ensuring that this will not happen by understanding what it is that each community requires to become more progressive and to feel that they are really part and parcel of this nation,” he said. Speaking at the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) 59th anniversary dinner at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on Tuesday, Najib said as a prime minister, it was his duty to ...

Abang Johari (second right) appends his signature on the logo of Mutiara Mortgage & Credit Sdn Bhd. — Photo by Muhamad Rais Sanusi KUCHING: People from the low-income group now have greater chances of fulfilling their dreams to buy houses and live in decent homes with the official launch of Mutiara Housing Loan Scheme yesterday. The scheme, which was launched by Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, is specifically established to cater for the financial need of this particular segment of people to purchase their own houses. Abang Johari said the scheme, funded by both the state and federal governments with the support from the Finance Ministry and Bank Negara Malaysia, would target those applicants with gross household income of RM5,000 per month ...