Yan, Oct 29 – Residents of the Sungai Limau constituency, located in the Yan district surrounded by padi fields and fringed by a coastal line, wish for nothing more than development in education and of downstream industries to spur economic activities in the area.
They want to see skills training institutions emerging in the area so that their young generation can further their studies after taking the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination.
This is among the transformation processes they hope to see through their elected representative who will be chosen in the Sungai Limau state seat by-election this Nov 4.
Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim will face PAS candidate Mohd Azam Abd Samat in a straight fight in the by-election.
A resident of Kampung Kuala in Sungai Limau, Muhammad Hassan, 50, said the constituency had been waiting for change in physical development and in the educational field after its previous leader failed to bring about that much-needed change.
A fisherman, Muhammad said Sungai Limau should be enjoying development in tandem with that taking place in the surrounding areas, which had benefited from the development projects and educational development taking place.
Muhammad said the neighbouring areas were more developed, hence raising their residents’ standard of living.
“I have for long viewed the two most important things for an area, to be physically developed and progressive in educational field. I believe if Sungai Limau has these two, it will spur development in the area,” he said.
He said that if the Yan Petroleum Industrial Zone (ZIPY) that was proposed by BN in 2007 and then changed to Sungai Limau Hydrocarbon Hub (Sulihh) by the PAS state government, could proceed, it would bring even greater development to the people of Sungai Limau, especially (for) the young generation.
“If the project materialises, there’ll be job opportunities for our youths, so they need not migrate to other states like Penang and Kuala Lumpur to work.
“We have been waiting for this project until now. Once in a while, we heard news that the project would be implemented and the latest is that it is now put on hold. We hope the BN government will proceed with the project.
“When there is development, the banks will set up their branches here. It will be easier for the people here to deposit or withdraw money, otherwise they have to go to Guar Chempedak town, Yan or Kota Sarang Semut,” he said.
Another resident, Ayob Samat, 56, hoped that government agencies like Mara and the Youth Training Institute would set up skills training centres so that the school-leavers would not have to leave the area to go attend training.
He said the skills training courses should be in line with local needs as the area required mechanics to repair tractors, ploughing machines, boat engines and motorbikes.
Having skills training centres would also prevent the area’s youth from idling away or be involved in undesirable activities, he added.
The Sungai Limau constituency which is 14,740.18 hectares in size, comprises three mukims (sub-districts), namely Sala Besar, Sungai Daun and Dulang.
It has a population of 41,540 with Malays forming 92 per cent, Chinese eight per cent, Indians 0.14 per cent, and the rest comprising other races.
More than 8,000 of the residents are involved in agriculture and 1,300 in the fishing sector, while there are almost 7,000 housewives, 6,000 public and private sector employees, and the rest are in business or are unemployed.
-Bernama
