KUCHING: The establishment of the Greater Kuching Coordinated Development Agency (GKCDA) is to ensure an inclusive, holistic, systematic and coordinated development of Greater Kuching namely the hinterland region of Kuching and Serian.
GKCDA chairman Datuk Roland Sagah said the agency will play an important role to plan as well as accelerate the implementation of socio-economic development programmes and projects within the area.
“The agency will also have the benefit of getting feedback from the rakyat on their actual needs through the active participation of local assemblymen in the steering and working committees established within the agency,” he said iat the GKCDA Main Lab programme held at a hotel here, today (Feb 27).
His speech was delivered by Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Martin Ben.
According to Sagah, five working committees based on sectors have been formed and chaired by the respective assemblymen – Infrastructure Development headed by Mambong assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil; Agriculture Development chaired by Martin; Utility and Telecommunication chaired by Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh; Non-agricultural economy development chaired by Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep and Social Development headed by Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus.
Under the sectors, targeted development include roads and bridges, drainage and irrigation management in the Infrastructure Development; electricity and water supply and digital technology under Utility and Telecommunication; Agriculture Development covering food industry, agro-tourism, mini estate, agriculture and livestock, commercialisation and modernisation.
The economic development (non-agriculture) will focus on industrial and commercial, mining, business and entrepreneurship and tourism and Social Development will focus on education and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), healthcare services, welfare, housing, municipal services, youth and sports and border development.
Meanwhile, GKCDA special administrative officer Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik said the lab which will be held over three days until March 1 is to draw up a strategy framework towards 2030 in line with the state’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“This is through the inputs and suggestions from the grassroots level that have been compiled as a result from the nine mini labs which had been held by the elected representatives through their respective service centres.
“This lab is also important to share information to prevent overlapping of programmes proposed under Greater Kuching,” he said.
Also present were Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Minister of Transport Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus, Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh, Opar assemblyman Billy Sujang, Tebedu assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada and Tanjong Datu assemblyman Azizul Annuar Adenan.
