Taken from http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/107585
Kapit MP Alexander Nanta Linggi has blamed the big gap in development between Kapit - located in central Sarawak - and other divisions in the state to the lack of infrastructure development.
"Although there is much talk about the digital divide between urban and rural areas, the development gap in Kapit is far more pressing," said Nanta, who is from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), a member of the BN coalition.
"It is still a big issue here and we are still talking about it," he said at the 16th installation-cum-award dinner of the Kapit Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
"Kapit had over the years given the BN government a strong mandate in the general election because of its pledge to implement development projects, including completing the road that was to link Sibu with Kapit," he said.
"Kapit's economy depends on infrastructure development. The pledges, therefore, must be fulfilled and any development meant for the division, must also include the road link from Sibu to Kapit," added Nanta.
He warned that Kapit would suffer greatly if logging, on which it depended for its wealth, slowed down.
Vast tracks of untapped agricultural land
Kapit could not depend on indigenous fish like ikan empurau, semah and tangadak or fruit trees like dabai and langsat as they were seasonal and unreliable.
"We must venture into other businesses such as crop planting to ensure steady incomes," he said, and stressed that the construction of a road would open up vast tracts of land for agricultural activities.
Nanta is not the only one who had been urging the government to build the Kapit-Sibu trunk road.
There were other leaders before him including his grandfather Temenggong Jugah who made a similar call more than 40 years ago when he was the MP for Ulu Rejang and as minister for Sarawak affairs.
Then came Nanta's father Leonard Linggi Anak Jugah, who was the MP for Kapit (1978 to 1986), and a relative, James Jimbun.
Nanta, who fought for the road to be included in the Ninth Malaysia Plan was said to be furious when there was no allocation for the trunk road in the plan.
Kapit MP Alexander Nanta Linggi has blamed the big gap in development between Kapit - located in central Sarawak - and other divisions in the state to the lack of infrastructure development."Although there is much talk about the digital divide between urban and rural areas, the development gap in Kapit is far more pressing," said Nanta, who is from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), a member of the BN coalition.
"It is still a big issue here and we are still talking about it," he said at the 16th installation-cum-award dinner of the Kapit Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
"Kapit had over the years given the BN government a strong mandate in the general election because of its pledge to implement development projects, including completing the road that was to link Sibu with Kapit," he said.
"Kapit's economy depends on infrastructure development. The pledges, therefore, must be fulfilled and any development meant for the division, must also include the road link from Sibu to Kapit," added Nanta.
He warned that Kapit would suffer greatly if logging, on which it depended for its wealth, slowed down.
Vast tracks of untapped agricultural land
Kapit could not depend on indigenous fish like ikan empurau, semah and tangadak or fruit trees like dabai and langsat as they were seasonal and unreliable.
"We must venture into other businesses such as crop planting to ensure steady incomes," he said, and stressed that the construction of a road would open up vast tracts of land for agricultural activities.
Nanta is not the only one who had been urging the government to build the Kapit-Sibu trunk road.
There were other leaders before him including his grandfather Temenggong Jugah who made a similar call more than 40 years ago when he was the MP for Ulu Rejang and as minister for Sarawak affairs.
Then came Nanta's father Leonard Linggi Anak Jugah, who was the MP for Kapit (1978 to 1986), and a relative, James Jimbun.
Nanta, who fought for the road to be included in the Ninth Malaysia Plan was said to be furious when there was no allocation for the trunk road in the plan.
Trunk road may remain an illusive dream
It appears that the promise will remain an elusive dream if the argument put forward by the state government is any indication.
According to sources close to the state government, Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud is not in favour of the Kapit-Sibu trunk road.
They reckoned the trunk road will turn Kapit into a ghost town because visitors will not spend the nights there as they do now.
Secondly, the road, they said, is not economically viable as there are no economic activities between Sibu and Kapit.
This is despite the fact that the road will pass hundreds of longhouses and thousands of hectares of fertile land.
Thirdly, the government does not want to deprive express boats and tongkang that ply between Sibu and Kapit of their business.
One other reason, according to the sources, is that the government wants to concentrate on upstream development, where in addition to the Bakun hydro-electric dam (above), there is the Murum and Baleh dams to be built.Roads and other infrastructure worth about RM7 billion will be built between Kapit and these areas, which will form part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewal Energy (SCORE).
Although Kapit may not be linked to Sibu in the near future, it will eventually be connected to the fast growing town of Bintulu.
10 comments:
As the infrastructure fund in the Ninth Malaysia Plan Budget which was allocated to The Sarawak government did not include to finance the construction of Sibu-Kapit trunk road, it means that the people of Kapit and its vicinity will not enjoy a modern and efficient network of roads linking Kapit to other big towns in Sarawak for at least the next 10 years. It is a long wait for Kapit folk anyway.
The Broken Shield writes, the Chief Minister of Sarawak does not in favour to construct a Sibu-Kapit road because of the following reasons:-
i) the trunk road will turn Kapit into a ghost town because visitors will not spend the nights there;
ii) the government does not want to deprive express boats and tongkang that ply between Sibu and Kapit of their business, and
iii) the road is not economically viable as there are not economic activities between Sibu and Kapit.
The first two reasons tend to invite the public perception that CM is more concerned to safeguard the business the well-being Chinese since most of, if not all, the express boats and hotels operators are Chinese, rather than helping thousands of Ibans in the areas to provide them right environment for economic growth and development.
On the third reason that is, the road is not economically viable, again the public may not agree to it if we look at the present tar-sealed Muara Tuang-Sebuyau road passing through vast areas of undergrowths, secondary forests and uninhabited areas. The public perception is, the road is focused more insfrastructure development of Malays who are the majority in the affected areas.
Perhaps, the Ibans of Kapit want to see the implementation of the `politics of development` benefit all our people irrespective of race and religion whether they are businessmen, rubber tappers, padi planters and fishermen.
I am not from Kapit, but I am joining the Ibans from Kapit to call for Iban ministers and BN Ibans from the constituencies to hear the plights and grievances of the people there if you don`t them to level you as not responsible, self-interest of wealth and positions.
hidup beberapa iku cina ngempu express boat lebih penting ari idup beribu2 iban ke diau ba kapit.....manah penemu nya
correction...level should be spelt as label.
Taking into account the situation where we the Ibans are increasingly marginalized, our only chance of survival in our own land is through EDUCATIONS..
"The goal of education , is the all-round formation of individuals who will contribute towards the creation of the Iban society that is animated by values of cooperation in peace founded in justice,& brotherhood based on equality"
Educations means knowledge..We are being exploited because most of us are not educated & lacked of knowledge.
We have character but without knowledge it is futile.....
Those guys who are exploiting & destroying us are educated people with knowledge...and how are we to match them?
BN Sarawak agi kuat bendar jam ke diatu, nya-alai nadai peduli ka sebana rakyat.
Uji ti penyakal bulih 20iti kerusi ba bepilih Kunsil Negeri tu ila baru sida takut, peda Najib diatu kasak2 meda PR kuat, lagi uhang kapit ka ga ngundi BN lalu sampai 50 tahun gi nadai meh jalai raya
Pathetic to say the least! Dayaks are the majority in the DUN as well as amongst MPs from Sarawak and yet this majority is so lame, uninterested, unwilling to see development of road infrastructure from Sibu to Kapit. Had they voted in unison we would have seen a road there long time ago. Two generations after Tun Jugah and yet there is no road. Looks like its a foregone conclusion. Kapit will always remain "Ulu Kapit " for more generations to come after Yb. Nanta.
So the million dollar question is, Why are the Ybs ( maybe except Nanta) not interested in getting this road started? Self interests comes first? Maybe PBB have deliberately chose to ignore the plight of the Kapit ibans?
In reality, the benefits for the villages along the road would have out weight the present monetary benefits to the river express owners or hotel owners.
Its pathetic that its okay to have a multi million dollar new DUN building that they use a few months in a year and a new airport in Mukah to accommodate jets AND not okay to have a road from Sibu to Kapit. Modern Sarawak money politics in the making?
The Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud is against building the road because it will benefit only a section of the rural community.This is racist, unfair and most undemocratic.
Watt..i agree with your opinion. Currently our Dayak NGO especially Iban only prefer to fight the leadership position in their NGOs. They're lack of leadership. In my opinion, Dayak NGO should emulate Chinese NGO to improve Dayak education, not ngaga objektif for bala sidak committee raun kiak2 di bandar2 besai or visit Tun Jugah Foundation meda orang nganyam or belajar ngajat. Yes, amat, we must upheld our Dayak Culture, I don't deny that but our priority now is education improvement or ngaga motivation ke ulu2 or ili2 menoa lalu nerang ka sidak bansa kitai Dayak the important of education in our furute. Peda aku Dayak NGO especially Iban cuma nemu ngaga pre Gawai, Ngiling bidai/tikai or pre Christmas. Cuma ka nemu berami ajak. Dayak NGO udah lari ari tujuan sidak iya sebenar iya. Semua ka bepolitik. To me education first then bansa kitai dayak enda ulih di kemeli or di tipu orang bukai dalam semua utai especially penemu dalam Dayak empu hak2 be it education, land, jobs etc.. Tang di peda aku semua komiti dalam Dayak NGO especially Iban nadai idea or zero mindset. Just ka bisi nama dalam organisation ajak. Minta ampun meh enti kita diak bisi ensepi pedas, tang this come form my honest opinion kena nyedar ka kitak Dayak NGO baka SDNU, SADIA & SIDS. These 3 NGOs must set plan & target on education/motivation to improve Dayak livelihood. Ukai pandai ngaga plan berami ajak.
Is Alex Linggi the son of Leonard Linggi Anak Jugah? I dun think so...Better inform Malaysiakini. Not nice to say ppl son of someone else...esp when your surname is Chan, Jabu and Masing...I tell you..how to do business like that...see the name and run away...
Nama tusah takut nadai busines xpres ai. Xpres jalai ga gaga.
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