Veteran journalist and author James Ritchie with 35 book titles to his credit has kept himself abreast with political events in Sarawak. Excerpts from his Taib – 50 Years book tell of the present TYT’s efforts to transform Sarawak from a backwater state into what it is today during his 50 – year active political career.
ECONOMIC WELL-BEING
Five years after Taib took over as Chief Minister, Sarawak’s state reserves stood at more than RM600 million – an impressive increase from the initial RM170 million that Taib inherited.
Sarawak was also fortunate that Taib was able to persuade the Federal government to increase the allocation from the national budget under the 4th Malaysia Plan (1981-1985) to RM2.4 billion, representing the highest allocation given to any state at that time. It was later increased to a total of RM3.6 billion.
Speaking in an interview with the Malaysian Business, Taib said that the bulk of the allocation went to the major economic sectors, namely transport and communication (RM1.212 billion), energy and public utilities (RM720 million), commerce and industry (RM550 million), agriculture and rural development (RM400 million), and education, training and medical services (RM430 million).
The chief minister added:
“The biggest sum allocated for the transport sector is socially and economically justifiable in view of the abundant resource potential available along the trunk road system, particularly the Miri- Bintulu and Bintulu-Sibu sections as well as the abundant natural gas offshore of Bintulu.
“Thus, improvement and development of the trunk road system and the Bintulu deep water port are of utmost importance in terms of land development which would otherwise be untapped.
“Energy and utilities is another sector which was given an increased allocation. The Batang Ai hydroelectric plant, the first and single largest hydro project implemented during the plan period, has a maximum generating capacity of 102MW.
It caters for the requirements of the First and Second Divisions in the state. Its implementation has enabled Sarawak to develop the hydro potential of Batang Ai and more importantly, to gradually reduce our dependence on thermal plants for the generation of energy.” (MB, April 1, 1986)
Under the 5th Malaysia Plan (1986-1990), Taib said the focus of development would be on the trunk road, new Sibu airport, rural water supply as well as land and agricultural development. Social services would also be improved, namely in the areas of higher, secondary and primary education as well as health and medical care. Emphasis would be given to the two IADPs in his constituency, the Samarahan River Basin and at Kalaka-Saribas which would take 13 years to complete.
The Chief Minister took particular pride in the Samarahan project which incorporated 10 components or schemes:
– Kuala Samarahan mitigation drainage,
– Mid-Samarahan integrated oil palm and arable crop,
– Upper Muara Tuang mitigation and drainage,
– Bukar flood mitigation and drainage,
– Rubber development project at Upper Samarahan, as well as
– Sericulture, aquaculture, livestock development, farm mechanisation services and infrastructure development.
CITY OF TWO MAYORS
On August 1, 1988 Kuching was declared a City and the town was transformed from a sleepy riverbank village into a spick and span metropolis.
Kuching also recorded another “first” by having two mayors.
It became a “Garden City”, with a massive exercise to green the streets with lines of trees and plants of great variety. Taib, who had the opportunity to become Malaysia’s first Federal Territory Minister, decided that Kuching needed two mayors to do the job. One would be in-charge of Kuching City North (the Malay native quarter, starting roughly from the Northern bank of the Sarawak River) while the other would take charge of the Chinese quarter in the south.
Two City Hall establishments were built to symbolise the people living in the area – the one in the north designed in Malay style and the south in typical Chinese architecture. Speaking at the launching of the Majalah Jiran publication in Kuching, Taib said that the appointment of a Malay “Datuk Bandar” (Mayor) in Petra Jaya and a Chinese mayor in Kuching south was to avoid communal misunderstanding.
With the completion of the RM90-million Kuching Waterfront complex extending about 1 km along the river, this promenade has become one of the important focal points of the City. Now visitors and locals often relax and enjoy watching the “sampan tambang” (formerly oar-boats but now fitted with small outboard motors) plying the river with passengers. Many have commented that the panoramic view of the Astana and Fort Margherita buildings, on the Northern bank, and the Serapi mountain range, especially on a clear day, is a sight to behold.
The SEDC also helped develop the Damai-Santubong peninsula, establishing several international-class hotels, a world-class international golf course designed by Arnold Palmer and the Sarawak Cultural Village, which was officially opened by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
A SECOND TOURISM MASTER PLAN
In 1993, a second 17-year tourism Master Plan was drawn up “to establish a general framework to guide the orderly development of the tourism sector”. All of this was important to ensure that a proper plan was instituted to improve the tourist spots, to have a proper marketing system and to ensure that tourism contributed to the socio-economic development of the people.
With the formation of the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), which complemented the Malaysian Tourism and Promotion Board (MTPB), the sector began to grow in an orderly and organised manner.
Today, Kuching is not only one of the four gateways to Malaysia but also boasts of several international hotels in the major towns, international resorts, some of them 5-star, at Borneo Highlands, which is about 40km from Kuching, Batang Ai Dam, Pelagus Rapids and Mulu National Park.
Local travel companies have also become more sophisticated and innovative by organising a wide spectrum of tours to cater for both the Malaysian and international markets. Under the STB, the special focus has been on developing Culture, Adventure and Nature (CAN), an acronym that has begun to make an impact.
In 2003, an extensive Visit Sarawak Year (VSY) programme was drawn up to include a Kuching International Run, Gawai Dayak Open House, a Borneo Mountain Bike Gathering and the internationally-renowned World Rainforest Music Festival – the first of its kind in the region.
The height of the 2003 VSY celebrations was the 40th anniversary Independence Day parade at the Padang Merdeka (Independence grounds) as well as the laying of the foundation stone of the new State Legislative Assembly complex across the Sarawak River.
It was apparent that all Taib’s efforts over the past two decades, to develop Sarawak’s tourism infrastructure and market the State as one of Malaysia’s leading destinations, had begun to bear fruit.
(To be continued)
