'Blind' BN-PBB leaders have done nothing to improve infrastructure in the Betong parliamentary constituency.
This, despite the fact that the Betong parliamentary constituency is represented a federal minister, Douglas Uggah Embas, and state Deputy Chief Minister, Alfred Jabu Numpang.
Uggah is a six term Betong MP and Jabu has been Layar assemblyman since 1974.
The semi-rural Betong constituency has 26,378 voters and comprises the three state seats of Saribas, Layar and Bukit Saban.
Despite having been represented by ‘high-powered’ leaders, the state and parliamentary constituencies have seen slow and little infrastructural development.
State PKR information chief Vernon Kedit said: “Uggah must be blind. My own longhouse at Stambak Ulu in the Betong constituency is still depending on rain water and so is Melaban longhouse which is five minutes drive from Betong.”
Kedit was commenting on Uggah’s accusation that PKR’s candidate for the Betong parliamentary constituency “needs treatment for cataract” if she cannot see the level of development brought by BN.
Una had claimed that Betong was under-developed and beset by land problems.
“I just don’t understand what she means by saying that Betong has land issues and is under-developed.
“The BN has done the best for the people here and Betong is still developing,” Uggah who is the caretaker Minister for Natural Resources and Environment said at a media conference.
Betong constituency has been represented by Uggah for six terms.
From 1981 to 1896 it was Jabu who was the MP for Betong. He was at the time already holding the Layar state seat.
Jabu has been Sarawak’s DCM since 1974.
Reacting to Uggah’s denial, Kedit said: “Several longhouses within five or 10 minutes drive from Betong are still depending on rain water and are poorly developed.
“What have they done all these years and why now they are talking about extending pipe water to our longhouse? Such projects (pipe water) should have been carried out years ago.”
Land grabs
On the land issues, Kedit said he had prove that the state government had taken away land from the people of Betong and alienated to a private company, Dura farm.
“I ask Uggah who owns Dura Farm? Who are the directors? Who leased it to WTK for the planting of oil palm?. Please answer my questions,” he asked.
He cited as an example his own family property.
Vernon said their longhouse ‘tembawai’ (old longhouse site) is in the centre of Dura farm, and this means that the land at Stambak Ulu Asal, Jalai Asam is their NCR land.
“Of course it is land grabs. It is my land. Did I sell my land to Ugak?” he asked, pointing out that when Pakatan takes over Putrajaya, then they would allow the law to take its course.
According to the record of Land and Survey Department, Dura Farm was given a provisional lease to plant oil palm on five parcels of land with a total acreage of 2,672.1 hectares.
Approval for the leasing of the land was made in March 2005.
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