Monday 24 March 2014

#PrkBalingian: MORE IN STORE IN BALINGIAN

MUKAH: Things are shaping up for the better in the district as the Barisan Nasional government continues to deliver development projects to keep it vibrant.   In the last three years, over RM660 million worth of projects were approved in the Mukah parliamentary constituency, which includes the Balingian and Dalat state seats.
A continuity in development is also BN's key agenda in its bid to retain Balingian in the March 29 by-election.
BN has picked Dalat's former district officer, local man Yussibnosh Balo, to contest against PKR's Abdul Jalil Bujang, who is seen by many as a parachute candidate, as he comes from Bintulu.
State BN Youth chief Datuk Fadillah Yusof said the Mukah parliamentary constituency, which stretches inland from the coast of central Sarawak, would not be neglected.
He said it would take time to bring comprehensive development to the constituency but efforts to boost infrastructure had been ongoing and there was more to come.
Fadillah, who is also works minister, said RM216.68 million had been spent on road projects that span 944.29km in the parliamentary constituency in the past three years, adding that the projects included link roads and bridges.
Another RM122.43 million was spent to provide clean water.
"The piped water supply has now reached nearly 60,000 people while another 2,000 people now have access to alternative water supply," he said.
Other projects that were carried out include RM60 million to provide electricity to 285 communities, longhouses and villages; RM48 million for educational funds; RM35 million for poverty eradication projects and RM180 million for agricultural assistance.
Meanwhile, Pekan Balingian penghulu Shahdan Sahari said more needed to be done to help rural areas here.
"There are still those who do not have clean water supply here and the government needs to develop key economic activities to help people earn a living," he said of Balingian town, which is 60km from Mukah town and shares the same name as the constituency.
Sakinah Abdul Karim, 20, chose the district to build a career after having recently graduated with a diploma in Information Technology.
"Initially, I wanted to find a job in Kuching, but you can see the town here has changed a lot, especially its booming service industry."

-originally posted in New Straits Times, 25 March 2014

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