LUNDU (Sarawak), Feb 14 — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government had never sidelined the rural communities as its long-standing policy was for the urban and rural people to receive equitable development.

He said the rural communities, who lived far away from the administrative centres, were never overlooked by the government when it came to development.

 “The Barisan Nasional (BN) government appreciates the strong support of the rural people for the government. Because of that, for example, when I visit this state (Sarawak), I will also go to the rural areas to understand their problems,” he said at the leader-people gathering at the SMK Lundu school hall, here, today.

Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who is also Santubong MP, and Minister in the Chief Minister's Office (Special Functions) Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who is Tanjung Datu assemblyman.

Muhyiddin also urged the rural communities to fully utilise the natural resources in their area, which would eventually expand its development potential.

 “Resources such as vegetation, crops and sea produce have big potential to assist in the development of rural areas.

 “This is in addition to the government aid given to the farmers, fishermen and smallholders that is able to increase the rural communities' income for 20 to 30 years to come and subsequently raise their living standard,” he said.  

At the function, Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, agreed to name the school hall as 'Dewan Pakma' after the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, in conjunction with the symbol of the Gunung Gading National Park here, with the flower as its main attraction.

He also announced an approved allocation of RM1 million for the upgrading of Sekolah Kebangsaan Bumiputera Lundu.

Earlier in his speech, Adenan said the Lundu district, which was opened on June 22, 1877, was very fortunate to receive a visit from Muhyiddin, the second such visit by a deputy prime minister after the first by the then deputy prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussain, who officially opened the Biawak Road in Lundu, that shared the border with West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

 “Thirty to forty years ago, Lundu was different because you needed to board a ferry to come here. Sometimes, you became angry for having to wait very long for the ferry but the Barisan Nasional government has built a bridge to ease travel for the people,” he said.

At present, 98 per cent of the area in Lundu, including 99 settlements, are accessible by road.

Adenan said Lundu, which has a population of 35,000 residents besides being well-known for its various eco-tourism products like mountains, beaches and beautiful islands, had the potential to be developed into an attractive tourist destination. 

 “Besides that, the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Biawak, near here, will attract more economic visits to Lundu,” said Adenan, who has been named to replace Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud as the new Sarawak chief minister at the end of this month. — Bernama