PADAWAN – The Sarawak Government has reiterated its strong commitment to addressing long-standing rural development issues in a structured and comprehensive manner. This pledge was made by Deputy Minister of Transport Sarawak, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, during the Briefing and Explanation Ceremony of the PCDS 2030 Initiative and Government Strategy, held at Association Hall Biperoh on Saturday.
Acknowledging existing delays in key rural initiatives—such as housing under the ALAF programme and the connection of basic utilities like electricity and water—Dr Jerip assured residents that these concerns are actively being escalated to the ministry level for prompt resolution.
“There are families who have applied for homes for five years without receiving feedback. This situation cannot be ignored,” he said, emphasising the government’s determination to improve response mechanisms and service delivery in rural areas.
Dr Jerip also spotlighted the importance of traditional Native Customary Rights (NCR) land measurement, noting that dedicated officers will be deployed to all Bidayuh state constituencies (DUN) to assist residents with settling their land matters more efficiently and transparently.
“We don’t want citizens to merely observe development. They must have ownership—especially over their land—to help drive local economic growth,” he added.
The PCDS 2030 briefing served as a platform to inform rural communities about Sarawak’s post-pandemic development roadmap while enabling them to directly express their concerns to government leaders and agencies.
This initiative reflects the government’s effort to ensure rural voices are heard and integrated into the state’s broader growth strategy—moving beyond promises to real, community-driven progress.
