WELL DONE: Sagah (in suit) together with this year’s winners. On his right is Lo while Edward Kurik is standing fifth right in the same row.
KUCHING: Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) has been commended for playing a “very big role” in shaping public opinions and challenging perceptions about the natural environment.
Tarat assemblyman Datuk Roland Sagah said this during the prize giving ceremony for this year’s Landscape Beautification Competition yesterday.
He praised the council and its staff for their efforts to cultivate greater public awareness about the importance of landscape beautification by organising the annual landscaping competition, which is now in its 21st edition.
“Twenty one years is not long, but when it comes to service it is long indeed. There have been a lot of changes. If this was a durian tree, by now it would be bearing much fruit.”
However, Sagah, who is also deputy speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, emphasised that the benefits gained
from participating in the competition should not be measured purely by its material and cash prizes.
“When compared with other projects, it is very little. In addition to providing us with oxygen to breathe to live, I believe that a beautiful landscape can help us to feel more positive. It can make us happy creatures in this world. If you have a happy life, you will have a long life.”
In addition to this, he pointed out that places with beautiful landscaped environments attracted visitors and could be turned into tourist attractions.
He urged community leaders and village representatives present to consider improving landscaping and facilities to encourage people to visit local attractions in their respective areas.
Meanwhile, Sagah, who is also Sarawak Rivers Board chairman, shared that he had initiated a river landscaping competition in his constituency, and hoped that more villages and schools in Tarat would adopt a river and consider taking part.
He also encouraged those from other constituencies to approach their representatives if they wanted something similar to be carried out there.
Also present was MPP chairman Lo Khere Chiang and competition organising chairman Edward Kurik, who is also MPP committee chairman for landscaping and beautification.