KUCHING: First meeting of the recently announced Betong Integrated Development Agency (BIDA) was finally held.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who chaired the meeting was proposed to be the agency chairman.
Layar assemblyman Datuk Gerald Rentap and his Saribas counterpart Mohammad Razi Sitam were respectively proposed to be the deputy chairmen for the agency.
Betong MP Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat and Batang Lupar MP Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim were also in attendance at the meeting.
Others attending were Beting Maro assemblyman Razali Gapur, Krian assemblyman Friday Belik, Kalaka assemblyman Mohammad Duri, Lingga assemblywoman Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor and Kabong assemblyman Mohammad Chee Kadir. Also attending was Betong Resident Richard Michael Abunawas.
Uggah shared that BIDA now covers Layar, Bukit Saban, Betong Maro, part of Lingga, Kalaka and Krian constituencies.
He also revealed that all the elected representatives concerned expressed their gratitude to Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for his decision to set up BIDA.
“We are very confident BIDA areas will experience accelerated social economic development including infrastructure development soon,” he added.
The formation of BIDA, one of the two new agencies, was announced by Abang Johari when he officiated at the closing of the recent Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) triennial delegates’ conference.
The other agency he announced was the Rajang Delta Development Agency. With the two, Sarawak now has eight development agencies.
