Budget 2013 wishes for Keningau

Assistant Rural Development Minister Datuk Haji Sairin Karno hoped Budget 2013 could bring big impact on the socio-economic development in the district.

“The projects that I mean include asking the government to upgrade the district police training that had been so long neglected,” he told reporters after presenting 1Malaysia water tanks to 24 people from Liawan, yesterday.

In addition, he said a paved highway from Keningau-Sook Tenom and Nabawan, Kalabakan-Sepulut, and Sinua-Lalampas-Tongod Road should be implemented to provide comfort and enhance the rural economy.

“It is my hope through this budget, that the government will consider the establishment of a Science Secondary School in Senangang, and a Mara Junior Science College in Keningau. Sites for the two projects are already available, ” he said.

Sairin, who is also the Liawan assemblyman, also requested that the federal government revive the Keningau airport that had been idle for a long time.

He said the airport could still be used for domestic flights and was also one of the airports that held historical value and pride for the people.

“It can generate economic growth through tourism,” he said.

He also urged the government to speed up the construction of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campus in Sook, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) campus and the College of Nursing, both of which had been proposed for Apin-Apin, Keningau.

“I would also ask the government through Budget 2013, to be tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak this month, that territory and housing allowances for teachers in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular be standardized.

“Many teachers are not satisfied and have complained that teachers from peninsula are paid higher than teachers from Sabah assigned to the same school and district or area in the interior,” he said.

Sairin hoped the government was concerned about the problems faced by the local teachers.

According to him, the people were now very aware of current issues, especially in terms of projects that had an impact on the interest of the people as well as the question of claims of teachers in relation to housing and regional allowances.

“I also hope that this budget will provide remuneration to residents of the rural areas who are still below the poverty line and wish that more aid can be channeled specifically to rubber smallholders, farmers and fishermen,” he said.

In another development, he asked that Keningau District Council acted on animals that still strolled on the streets that could endanger motorists.

“I am very sympathetic to the death of a local man who hit a horse on the road when he was on his motorcycle at Kampung Bingkor here recently, and such cases should be a lesson for animal breeders who let their animals roam around.”

Sairin said former Keningau District Officer Haji Zulkifli Nasir had acted to catch cows that roamed the streets, and this same action should be done by the present management of the District Council.

According to him, the local authorities should not wait for complaints but should act quickly to avoid any untoward incidents for happening.

On the water tanks, he said they were contributions from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government and only to those who qualified through the process of evaluation by the People Development Leader Unit office and the Department of Welfare Services.

Present at the ceremony were assistant director of the Department of Welfare Services Ahmad Razali Salabin, Liawan People Development Leader Rosdi Padiman, Liawan Community Development supervisor Robert Gajim, Lingkudau area developer Amir Jani, Senagang area developer Haji Lahadi Salleh, Welfare Services department staff and community leaders.

Source: Borneo Post