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| Tanjung Manis Airport |
The implementation of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy or SCORE development program is Sarawak’s new approach to build its wealth towards the year 2020 and beyond. Its development is based on the exploitation of water resources, which the State has richly been endowed with, as new sources of wealth.
Understandably, the State Government, which first carried out the feasibility study of developing hydro power in the 70s, plans to generate more electricity that it can sell at reasonable costs to other countries.
More importantly, the generation of sufficient hydro electricity that can be charged at reasonable costs, will provide incentives for more industries to come Sarawak, SCORE development area in particular. Then it will be cheaper to run factories in Sarawak than in other states.
The State has the potential to generate more than 20,000 megawatt of electricity, which will be sufficient to operate scores of mega industries in SCORE development area in particular. The industries will include the setting up of pulp and paper mills in the mountainous regions near Belaga and Baram or mechanical pulp and paper in other less developed rural areas with the availability of electricity at reasonable costs.
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| Tanjung Manis Fishing Port |
All the projects are being considered in the development program for the state towards the year 2020 and beyond. They will be able to create more jobs not only in urban but also in rural areas; not only in Kuching or Miri but also in under developed areas in SCORE development area and Sarawak as a whole.
SCORE area includes Tunoh, Belaga, Kapit, Kanowit, Sibu, Mukah, Marudi and other under-developed places, which are difficult to develop without developing new sources of income.
The development of SCORE, which is generally to develop an area between Samalaju and Tanjung Manis is being made possible with Sarawak’s success in development that commands the confidence of both local and foreign investors.
Its development will also benefit areas outside the corridor like Betong, which on its own, is projected to become more progressive in the next five years once oil plam estates between Kabong and Pusa start to earn some revenue.
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| Road linking Sibu with Tanjung Manis |
Besides, thousands of hectares of land are being planted with oil palm between Kabong and Saratok. The people in areas between Betong, Meludam and Sadong River right up to Sri Aman will be able to exploit opportunities with the development of SCORE as the fruits will be processed at factories in Tanjung Manis, which will have a big port and lots of other facilities in a centralized area.
The factory at Tanjung Manis will serve places like Kanowit, Betong, Meludam and all areas up to Tunoh in Ulu Kapit. As the products can be stored in large quantity at Tanjung Manis, they will have the economy of scale. Besides, they are lots of products that can be made from palm oil.
The development of SCORE is projected to create 1.5 million jobs as compared to 1 million now. Obviously, the development of SCORE, which entails the development of numerous gigantic projects, will be able to generate more jobs for the people towards the year 2020 and beyond.
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| Bakun Dam is a potential site for Ramsar |
Generally, it will make Sarawak to become the new attraction of many people, who may not get jobs in Peninsular Malaysia. More importantly, SCORE will greatly accelerate the pace of development of Sarawak to meet the rising expectation of the people.
Obviously, Sarawak is putting emphasis on the importance of education, higher education in particular. For example, the State government has been able to carry out this public awareness campaign, which will be intensified in future, during the past 10 years.
Initially, the government has to carry out program to encourage children to use computer. Even children in pre-schools are taught to play games with computers.
Initially, the government has to carry out program to encourage children to use computer. Even children in pre-schools are taught to play games with computers.
Besides, the State Government is introducing a new model of training in the usage of computer to children in Mukah. A new computer model is being used to train children in the self-propelled learning. Initially, the children get some guidance from teachers before they can go on their own. The government has been able to extend the usage of the computer to other rural areas.
The State government has already spent RM200 million, while waiting for the Federal allocation, to set up WiFi network. The State government is prepared to spend the money from the State’s coffer to set up WiFi network as the facilities are good for the people in rural areas. Without the WiFi facilities they will have no access to the Internet services for many more years to come.
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| The vast lake created by the Bakun Dam is ideal for a large scale caged-fish industry |
Besides, the State government has requested Cambridge University, MIT in Boston to develop a computer model for learning at primary school level. This program is to develop the capability of children in rural areas to learn through their own interests and initiative.
The time will come when children will learn faster on their own than what teachers can teach them. For this reason, it is very important to emphasize on pre-school education, which should become part of the system to prepare people for higher income. Without pre-school program, Sarawak may not be able to move forward.
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| Bakun Eco Centre in the making |
Generally, the State government, since Sarawak gained Independence in 1963, has been having a consistent policy that reflects a strong desire to see that the State should move forward in pursuit of greater progress and modernity.
From the very beginning, local leaders in expressing their support for Sarawak to join the Federation of Malaysia before Cobbold Commission, made it very clear that they wanted Sarawak to become more prosperous and progressive after Independence.
Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, as one of the politicians, who spoke before Cobbold Commission, says until today he cannot forget the wishes and aspiration of the people to yearn for greater progress and prosperity with Independence through the formation of Malaysia.
Undoubtedly, Sarawak has reached the half way mark in the struggle for nation building. For example, the per capita income in 1963 was RM600 but now it is RM30,000. This change makes Malaysia different from other countries, which are facing problems with people quarrelling among them. They remain backward, some are having riots because of high costs of living.
For this reason, Pehin Sri Abdul Taib, since he became the Chief Minister on March 26, 1981, has been giving serious thought about development for the people. He comes up with a certain flow of thinking that politics and development cannot be separated. Instead, politics must facilitate development and not to destroy it.
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| Bakun Town Resort |
Though the State has been able to move forward as depicted in the manifold increase in the per capita income, generally the standard of living has gone up as compared with those in the 60s and 70s, its development must be intensified to meet the rising expectation of the people. Understandably, the people, prompted by success, continue to nurture higher ambition for more and better things to come their way.
Generally, the people no longer leave their life to fate any more. They believe that they can improve their livelihood with their own determination, initiative and efforts to succeed.
However, the people must remain focused in their endeavor to realize the common ambition to become more progressive and successful towards the years 2020 and beyond. They must not allow their line of thinking to be off focused even momentarily. As all the people want progress and development, the subjects must become the focus of their discussion.
**Wetlands designated as internationally important under the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, 1971) are commonly known as Ramsar sites.
benuasains
*Photos Source:
http://www.sarawaktimber.org.my
http://exoticbakun.blogspot.com
google.com
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=42809554
http://mudatengah.blogspot.com/2011/01/bakun-waters-big-money.html
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/2/2/sarawak/7854780&sec=sarawak
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