Datuk Patinggi Alfred Jabu being briefed by Peter Nansian on the area of the REDEEMS Bamboo Botanical Park at Kpg Apar Singai Bau.
PHOTO: RAMIDI SUBARI
FROM EASTERN TIMES
By Harun Jau
BAU: There are many factors in Sarawak which can justify the setting up of community-based projects such as the Redeems Bamboo Botanical & Handicraft Development Centre at Kampung Apar in Singai, Bau.
This was pointed out by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang. Such community-based projects may vary from region to region, depending on the circumstances and also on the various setting environments, the people, the terrains and also the area accessibility.
“I can see what is being initiated here is a very good project,” said Jabu, who is also Minister of Rural Development, when visiting the centre here yesterday.
The project introduced in 2003 was adopted by the United Nations Development Programme under the Global Environmental Facility Small Grant Programme, which had sponsored a fund of USD50,000.
Jabu has been advocating from the federal government that the fund under the intensification research priority areas to be channeled more to Sarawak because there are a lot of potentials to be exploited here.
Jabu is very thankful to Dr. Martin Abraham, the national coordinator for Global Environmental Facility Small Grant Programme, for convincing the Global Environmental Facility Small Grant Programme to come and assist in the project at Singai.
He also commended Tasik Biru’s assemblyman and President of REDEEMS, Peter Nansian Ngusie for his courage in initiating the project in the constituency.
He said the word REDEEMS sounded good and attractive and the location of the project was also very good. “I think anywhere within half an hour radius from Kuching is still a very vibrant part of the fast developing Kuching City. So this place is not rural anymore.”
He said the setting up of the Handicraft Development Centre at Kampung Apar, with its very modern Baruk as well as the library and IT facilities, would enable the place to be connected with all parts of the world.
“The Bidayuh community from this area should feel proud of the initiative taken by their leaders, adding that what is very interesting about the place is the bamboo project here,” he said.
Jabu would like Dr Martin Abraham to be invited to a discussion with the state’s administrator and planners because there are many areas as deserving as this one here in Singai.
“We must be in the forefront to plan and we must also be very brave to execute it. Once we have been able to start it our people will give strong support to a good project which has big potential to improve their livelihood,” he said.
Earlier, in his briefing on the project, Nansian said REDEEMS was a community-based organisation involved in capacity building.
The aim of the project was to develop the area into a community centre and a bamboo botanical park.
He said the mission was to mobilise the people to be involved in development. He said about RM1 million had so far been spent to develop the area.
Later, Jabu together with Nansian and Opar’s assemblyman Ranum Mina, Kemena’s assemblyman Dr. Stephen Rundi and Dr. Martin Abraham participated in the planting of young bamboo at the REDEEMS Bamboo Botanical Garden Park located near Kampung Apar, Singai.
Before the function at Kampung Apar, Jabu visited the Juara Beetuah Sdn Bhd’s oil palm nursery at Mile 18, Bau-Lundu Road, in Lundu. He was brought around to tour the nursery and briefed by Nansian, the chairman of Juara Beetuah Sdn Bhd.
