Bingkor: Residents Get A Taste Of Development

Gilo Pongod recalls vividly the tough life she lived some 30 years ago while bringing up her five children.

Then, an uninspired Gilo, aged 54, resided in Kampung Mongitom, located four kilometers away from the cowboy town of Bingkor, and had nothing to look forward to.

 I am grateful for whatever facilities are available here now

She had to work hard to supplement her husband's income by making and selling local delicacies like kuih, while her husband earned just RM120 as a salaried policeman.

Gilo and her children would walk to the small town of Bingkor each morning to sell the kuih.

However, all that is history now as life for Gilo has changed for the better. She is now leading a comfortable life running her own business whereas her children are all well settled. They work as a teacher, policeman, accounting officer, clerk, trader, even as the youngest became a mechanic.

BETTER FACILITIES

"At that time, we had no electricity at home. So each night we would ignite the gas light to continue making the kuih. There was no tap water as well. So we had to fetch the water from the river for our daily use.

Today, all the basic facilities are already available. We have electricity and water. We even have a telephone at our home now. Yes, our living standards have improved tremendously compared to the early days. I am grateful for whatever facilities are available here now," said Gilo to Bernama.

Gilo also noted that she no longer had to walk to the town as her husband who retired seven years ago now owns a car and drives her around.

Now, she also runs a stall sponsored by Pusat GiatMara in Bingkor, having undergone a 10-day entrepreneurship course in Kota Kinabalu to sell fried noodles and drinks.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had recently dropped in at Bingkor, located about 9.9 kilometers from Keningau, to attend the Malaysia Tadau Kaamatan 2012 National Open House event.

PRIME MINISTER TAKES CARE OF THE PEOPLE

The prime minister went to the ground and met the locals at the Tamu, the traditional market, and heard their grouses.

"I'm very happy and thankful because the prime minister took the trouble to visit this small town," said Gilo on Najib's visit.

Another local Petricia Nansi, 54, pointed out that Bingkor now has all the public amenities needed, including roads, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, health clinics and places of worship like mosque and churches.

While concurring with Gilo on the changing landscape of Bingkor, Petricia is also happy because the 6.1 hectares of land owned by her in Kampung Bandukan Lama is all set to be planted with rubber trees with the help of the Rubber Industry Smallholder's Development Authority (Risda).

"I received the land grant in 1979. However, the land has remained unused ever since. It's wonderful to know that Risda wants to help. I could not develop the land on my own. I have placed all my trust on Risda," she exclaimed.

"I only hope that the Risda officers continue to brief the locals on rubber plantation since the villagers may not still be clear on Risda's role and might harbour second thoughts of receiving their aid," she added in caution.

CONFIDENT ON THE GOVERNMENT

Like Gilo, Petricia too is running a small business in Bingkor that she started with a loan from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM).

Petricia, who also participated in GiatMara's entrepreneurship course with Gilo at Kota Kinabalu, highlighted the problem faced by paddy farmers like her, notably the exorbitant RM180/hectare cost of ploughing the land.

Another local, Binson A.Sabiah, 66, stood witness to the major physical transformation in Bingkor since the 1960s.

Binson who had served as a stringer for a local paper and has authored a book on a Murut warrior titled "Pahlawan Murut: Ontoros Bin Endoi@Antenom", provided an illustration of the hamlet in the 1960s when there were no tarred roads and horse carts served as transportation.

This former teacher and field force personnel of the Confrontation also noted that there were only six wooden shops in Bingkor then unlike now where concrete buildings continue to mushroom.

"The government has brought development to Bingkor and the surrounding areas in stages," noted Binson illustrating the development seen in Bingkor and the lives of its residents due to the pragmatic planning of the government.

Bernama