BETONG, Nov 2 — Farmers will receive some “goodies” in the State Budget 2020 which will be tabled by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg in the Sarawak State Assembly on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said today.
“Just wait for the chief minister to make the announcement,” Uggah, who is also the state minister of agriculture, native land and regional development, said.
He said the ministry will concentrate on activities next year to generate more income for the farming community.
He said one of the activities is to get the farmers to diversity their crops, instead of relying on pepper, rubber and oil palm.
“Pepper, rubber and oil palm farmers have suffered due to the sharp decline in the prices of these commodities while fishermen could not go out due to the rough seas during the wet season,” he said to reporters after officiating at the Petronas corporate social responsibility (CSR) project at Sekolah Kebangsaan St John at Nanga Tiga in Ulu Layar near here.
He said these groups must have alternative agriculture activities so they will have uninterrupted income flow.
In his speech earlier, Uggah commended Petronas for coming up with its CSR projects in rural schools in the state, adding that this will complement the government’s efforts in improving and upgrading some 1,000 dilapidated schools.
“As far as SK St John is concerned, it is like a dream come true for Betong Member of Parliament Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat and myself,” he said in reference to himself as the state assemblyman for Bukit Saban, one of three state constituencies under the Betong parliamentary constituency.
He said he and Lawson have contributing funds to help the school to improve its facilities.
Petronas spent more than RM1 million for the upgrading of the school’s boarding house, science laboratory, toilets and other facilities, under the CSR project.
Among those present at the function were the managing director and chief executive officer of Petronas LNG 9 Sdn Bhd and Malaysia LNG group of companies Laga Jenggi, Betong Member of Parliament Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat and Richard Rapu, a political secretary to chief minister.
