MUKAH: The government has a long-term plan to boost economic activities in Balingian sub-district in order to provide jobs for the local people.
This could be achieved with the implementation of a rural growth centre (RGC) there in the near future, said Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.
He said it was impossible to develop the sleepy town immediately as it would need proper planning.
“We have big plans for Balingian which is one of RGCs in the State. RGC is not a matter of having a new township but will also encompass other aspects especially on the economic front,” Awang Tengah told the media after presenting land titles to 179 people at Kpg Lintang some 60km from here yesterday.
He added that the state government was also identifying a strategic location for the much-needed secondary school to cater for the needs of the local community.
“Although we have already approved the site, the local people, however, have requested that the school be built smack in the centre of the sub-district. So we are now looking into that,” he said.
He was responding to one of the top wish lists of the local community; that a secondary to be built in the sub-district, which was highlighted by The Borneo Post even before the Balingian by-election was announced.
The lack of secondary school in the sub-district has also been used by the opposition in their campaign to discredit the government.
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Industrial Development, said the government too had a plan to build small and medium industries (SMIs) in the sub-district to provide jobs for the local community.
“We will identify a suitable site for these SMIs,” he said.
He added the government would build the ‘missing link’ road from Balingian to Tatau to ensure better connectivity for people in the two places.
“The state government has approved an allocation for the missing-link road. When completed, Balingian will be connected to the world by road from Mukah and Tatau,” said Awang Tengah, who is also PBB senior vice-president.