Abdullah promises ‘effective spending’ in stimulus package

KUCHING: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants effective spending?for all the streamyx password provided under the governments stimulus package.

He said this was jaring streamyx ensure that the people benefited from the approved projects and allocations.

This is our promise to the people,?he added when launching the Tanjung Manis Halal Hub in Mukah Division in central Sarawak yesterday.

Sarawak has earmarked 16,000 hectares of land for the halal hub project, the countrys biggest.

Grub hub: Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation general manager Datuk Len Talif Salleh (second from right) showing Abdullah, Taib (second from left) and Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hasan (right) a model of the Tanjung Manis Halal Hub.

Abdullah asked Sarawak to implement as quickly as possible its approved projects under the RM7bil stimulus package to spur the economy. Some 70% of the RM7bil allocation has been disbursed.

He said the government would announce additional funds for the stimulus package during the current Parliament session.

On the halal hub project, Abdullah advised the state government to prepare early to provide comprehensive skills training at all levels to the locals so that they could be absorbed into the various industries and factories once these are operational.

He said skills training institutions should be set up in Tanjung Manis to provide convenience to the locals to be trained.

Earlier in his speech, Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said the factories to be set up in the hub would produce halal food for the export markets.

Taib said the halal hub was part of the development of the Sarawak Corridor for Renewal Energy (Score), which would require RM6bil for its infrastructure development.

With the infrastructure, many areas including in the interiors would be opened up for development, such as hydro projects,?he said.

Taib added that the federal government had approved RM300mil to develop the proposed Samalaju Industrial Park within Score in Bintulu Division.