Awang Tengah watering a plant after planting it in conjunction with state celebration of World Forestry Day.
SIBU: Tanjung Manis is poised to become a new economic powerhouse of Sarawak in the not-too-distant future.
Such is the transformation of the sleepy village once called ‘Tanjung Mani’ which was only bombarded by sea waves, into ‘Tanjung Manis’ which will soon feature the development of a 27-storey high administrative centre to match the aspiration of the people.
Minister of Second Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said this at the double celebration of Tanjung Manis’s 24th anniversary celebration and World Forestry Day (at state-level) in Tanjung Manis town, about 100 km away from here yesterday.
He said since its inauguration as a Forestry Industrial Development Centre in the 1990’s under the brainchild of former chief minister Pehin Sri Haji Taib Mahmud, it had contributed much to the state economy and today, it is branching out into shipbuilding, agricultural development and food processing industry as the largest halal hub not only in Malaysia but in this region.
“For the commitment of the halal hub, the government approved 77,000 hectares of land in Tanjung Manis, for which the town is now slowing mushrooming with shophouses.
“The progress is the effort of the people who during the 2011 state election, where the Belawai assemblyman Datu Len Talif Salleh, who is currently the Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office (Promotion of Technical Education), had drawn the people’s support of the government with two opposition candidates losing their election deposit.
“Along with it, Phase 1 of a RM800-million water supply project is to be completed by end of this December with a capacity of delivering 125 MLD in fresh water supply.
“The government will also construct a water reservoir plant in Tanjung Manis with storage capacity of 30 MLD and to be upgraded to 60 MLD as future needs arise,” Awang Tengah, who is also the Minister of Public Utilities, disclosed.
On electricity, he said the government would also liaise with Sarawak Electricity Board for postal transportation lines that are needed to attract industries.
The development will not only benefit the big entrepreneurs but also bring opportunities to local business, he said.
Thus, he urged the people to take up the opportunities made available, and for the young generation to equip themselves with education and skills to fit into employment.
Thus, Awang Tengah hoped that the town, which is still a sub district, could be upgraded to ‘District’ to better coordinate its activities as more residential and industrial development rolls out.
In fact, he said the town also needs a fire station as it now depends on support from Sarikei.
As for forestry conservation, he said Sarawak has been praised for its forest management from forestry conservation bodies worldwide which amongst are the ITTO, FAO, UNDP. GEF and JICA.
This, he pointed out, was substantiated by 84 per cent of Sarawak still grown with forest on its 12.43 million hectares of land as compared with many countries in Europe that have only 10 per cent of land under forest.
The credit for this achievement goes to the Sarawak Forestry Department and STIDC, Awang Tengah, who is also the Minister of Industrial Development, enthused.
On another note, he urged all government agencies and the local community to contribute towards conservation of Sarawak forest as a heritage for generations to come.
Among those present were Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office (Promotion of Technical Education) Datu Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister for Agriculture (Farmers Organisation) Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran , Assistant Minister for Rural Development (II) Julaihi Narawi and STIDC General Manager Datu Serudu Hoklai.