Betong undergoing major transformation

 By Peter Sibon

THE various development projects implemented in Betong over the last couple of decades have transformed the area into a productive and economically progressive area and have uplifted the socio-economic status of the people in the area.

With a population of around 30,000, Betong, a typical agricultural district is becoming a fast growing rural development centre – well planned and developed. It has all the basic amenities including modern communications network, roads, hospitals, electricity ad treated water supplies, schools, modern government administrative offices, police station and fire station, sporting facilities, as well as a handicraft centre.

The physical and socio-economic development has managed to reduce the poverty level significantly among the rural people in Betong. So far, most of the more than 200 longhouses and villages in the District have fully benefited from the government’s politics of development.

What contributed to the progress?

The success of Betong has been made possible with active involvement and support of the people towards the government’s development programmes and its policies on sustainable land development and utilisation. By the end of the Eighth Malaysia Plan, all the longhouses and villages in the district are expected to enjoy full benefits and access to the rural road network as well as rural clean water supplies and electrification projects.

More good road networks linking the villages to areas outside Betong will be implemented with the opening of more land for commercial agricultural purposes.

The Federal funded road projects for the upgrading and surfacing of the 90km section from Betong Junction to Kayu Malam Junction of the First Trunk road, which commenced in July, 1999 would complement the effort to bring in more development to the people in the area. The project is expected to be completed by July 2001.

The implementation of the Rural Growth Centre (RGC) in Layar, which is about 20 kilometres from Betong town, will certainly further boost the physical and socioeconomic development in the area and bring the rural community into the mainstreams of development.

The political stability under the Barisan Nasional government had contributed significantly to the success of the development programmes. The government had also been successful in fulfilling its responsibilities to the people of all races despite facing numerous constraints. The situation has brought about greater progress and encouraged more investors to come into the State, including investing in oil palm plantation in Layar and Saribas on ventures with the various government agencies.

The political and socio-economic stability in the State has also enabled the government to focus more on its rural educational development programme effectively. This development has and would further boost the standard of education in the rural sector, including the remote areas, including those in Saribas and Pusa area. Schools are being provided with the necessary infrastructure and communication facilities as well as other basic amenities like electricity, treated water supplies and computers.

It is anticipated that by the end of the 8MP, all schools in Betong would have at least a computer each.

Land development and commercial agricultural projects. Since 1991, the Sarawak Land Consolidation And Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) has developed 3,276.88 hectares of idle Native Customary Rights land into oil palm plantation in Layar. More than 900 people from 45 longhouses in the area have benefited from the project.

Salcra Administrative officer, Encik Maxwell Stephen Landong, in an interview recently, disclosed that, so far, Salcra had paid up around RM5 million in dividends to the participants.

He also disclosed that Salcra plans to open up and develop around 3,000 hectares of land for its plantation expansion programme in the Eighth Malaysia Plan (8MP).

Meanwhile, the Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) has invested more than RM4.6 million in oil palm plantation in Layar. The project, involving 394 hectares of land and 55 landowners from Matop, Pelandok and Berudu in Layar, would start soon. Phase two of the project has also been planned.

Apart from that the local council has adopted a strategic programme to improve the standard of living of the local community. To complement the government’s development programmes the Betong District Council has its own development agenda for the community under its jurisdiction. The first stage of the programme called “Local Community Development Programme” was introduced to 10 longhouses in Ulu Paku in Layar and all the villages at Debak Laut in Saribas.

The main objective of the project, according to Betong District Council Committee chairman, Philip Menyin, was to give the residents the opportunities to plan and carry out their own development programme in their respective areas. So far, it has been well received by the participants.

What the leader says?

However, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Land and Rural Development Tan Sri Datuk Amar Alfred Jabu ak Numpang, felt that these development success stories should not end there, “for more need to be done and implemented to further enhance and improve what is lacking, in particular with the rapid pace of development and usage of information, communications technology (ICT) in the new economic era and globalisation.”

The mindset of the people need to be prepared to face new challenges to enable them to move in tandem with development. One of the strategies was to utilise the human capital and resources to the fullest and make the people really understand the politics of development and their role to assist the government to achieve the vision of becoming a developed nation in the near future.

“This strategy needs to be fully integrated in our development plan, not only for Betong but also for all the other districts throughout the State,” Jabu said, adding that the support and involvement of the people in the government’s development programmes were essential to achieve the goals.

Jabu is also the State assemblyman for Layar, while Saribas is being held by Dr Haji Wahbi Junaidi. Both are from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)

What the people want?

While most of those interviewed at a random survey carried out after the handing over of land titles to NCR landowners by Tan Sri Jabu at Betong recently, said that they were happy with the development they enjoyed now, they felt that there were still room for improvement.

“More job opportunities should be created to cater for the growing number of school leavers in the area,” suggested Hamiri bin Meliki, 20, (pix no.1) from Spaoh and an employee of the Bukit Saban Resort in Betong. He also suggested that there was a need for the government to come out with concrete plans to tackle the problems of rural-urban migration.

“It is hoped that through a wise implementation of beneficial projects, more youths and adults would be able to contribute their energy and expertise to the growth of rural areas like Betong,” he added.

Raymond ak Jawa, 31, (pix no.2) a father of four from Rumah Nenari, who works as a lorry driver in Betong, would like to see the available basic amenities be upgraded. “We have water supply through gravity feed, but during dry seasons, we have problems getting clean water supply. At times like that, we would be depending on clean water supply from the Public Works Department,” he said, adding that the government need to look into the matter seriously.

Ulok ak Ajai, 60, (pix no. 3) from Sg. Anyut, meanwhile, urged the relevant authorities to help parents in rural areas to get scholarships for their children, as the move would definitely help their financial burden on their children’s education.

For most of the people affected by the land development and oil palm projects, the issue or allegations that the government is robbing the people of their land are merely lies.

Temenggong Mathew Dan, 74, (pix no. 4) from Sg Pelandok, when interviewed, expressed his gratitude to the government for issuing land titles and compensated those in his area affected by land acquisition exercise for development. “The move would definitely expedite and fasten the people’s involvement and participation in the on-going socio-economic development in Betong district,” he said.

The rest who were interviewed all agreed with him, although a couple did express their grudges. “However, things could be discussed and resolved,” they said when asked to comment further.”