Events

Welcoming Speech By Ybhg Datuk Peter Nansian For The Launching Of The First Borneo Tribal Fest 2017

Posted on by kelvinkho
12
Jul

Welcoming speech by YBHG Datuk Peter Nansian for the launching of the first Borneo Tribal Fest 2017 (btf17) cum Gawai Raya and official opening of Borneo Tribal Village (BTV) by YAB Ketua Menteri Sarawak on 9/7/2017 at 10.00 am at Borneo Tribal Village

  1. ABOUT BORNEO TRIBAL VILLAGE (BTV) AND BORNEO

     TRIBAL FEST 2017

  • BTV is a place for Perpetual Wellness where you can Live, Learn and Leisure, nestle in the jungle of Borneo yet only 33 km to Kuching City.
  • It is developed by Perpetual Wellness Sdn Bhd, Managed by Beetuah Agroventure Sdn Bhd and dedicated to Datin Rose Sanden.
  • BTV is designed to have a dedicated one way Visitors Trail so that visitors to BTV can see most of the attractions here in an orderly manner when they follow the VISITORS TRAIL shown in the BTV Masterplan. Thus, BTV can be most suitable for events, retreats, family day, camping, study visit and research, small conference and meeting and some sports and games or just come here to relax and do nothing but to enjoy the relaxing and secluded ambiance and the natural environment.
  • BTV is develop also to answer the call by the government especially our KETUA MENTERI YAB DATUK AMAR, for “CAN TOURISM” which is to promote our Culture, Adventure and Nature in Sarawak and all of these 3 elements are found at least in a small way in BTV.
  • The main Theme of BTV is TRIBAL, as we want to preserve, enhance and showcase our Sarawak Tribal heritage of the various Ethnic designs, cultures, tradition, food and drinks and also to show samples of Timber Trees, bamboos, herbs, vegetables and fruit trees.
  • The other main objective of developing BTV here is to spur rural development, creating employment and demand for local food supplies and to support and back up the Redeems Community Bamboo Park by attracting more people to come to the park while visiting BTV.
  • However, the development of BTV is more of a hobby and our family heritage and built progressively with the least costs, as the planning, design, construction are all done inhouse and land at very minimal cost as it is mostly inherited untitled land. We just use our common sense in planning and design of BTV taking cognition of the direction of the sun, wind and terrain of this place. Thus, for any shortcoming, please excuse us, as none of us at BTV are Architect, Planners and Engineers. We just want a pleasant place to spend our spare time and weekend and that we can share with others too. And this is because we also want to make BTV to be a melting pot and confluence of cultures for unity and harmony in our beloved Sarawak and for a healthy life style utilizing the various facilities available here. And to make BTV to be vibrant continuously, we inaugurate the BORNEO TRIBAL FEST with the official opening of BTV this year and hope to do this Festival yearly from now onwards as our iconic event to compliment the other ethnic festivals in Sarawak and also contribute to the Tourism Development in the state.
  1. ABOUT MOU BETWEEN STIDC AND REDEEMS

The MOU between STIDC and REDEEMS is an intended collaboration to continue developing the Redeems Community Bamboo Park and create a Timber Trees Park or Reserve. It is only natural and fitting for these two organisations to embark in this project taking cognition that STIDC is a State Agency involving in Timber Industry and now also looking into Bamboo Industry, while Redeems is a community organisation most active in trying to promote bamboo as one of the useful and beneficial products for the tribal people as their livelihood, as bamboo has been part of their livelihood since time memorial.  In fact Redeems is also a member of the MALAYSIAN BAMBOO STANDARD BOARD under the Malaysian Timber Industrial Board (MTIB) representing the communities. Thus YAB Datuk Amar, the net result of this MOU is for a government agency with the relevant function to work with a community organisation of common interest to develop a community Bamboo Park and the Timber Trees Park or Reserve.

The potential benefits that can be derived from this MOU will be that:-

  • It will create more awareness of the beauty and potential socioeconomic value of Bamboo at a place of close proximity and easy reach from the city.
  • Can involve the community in a potentially viable non-polluting Industry, good for the people and the State.
  • To provide an avenue for a government agency like STIDC to collaborate with a pro government NGO like REDEEMS to work together to create a Timber Trees Park Reserve as part of our state heritage of easy reach and freely open to the public for appreciation and learning and as part of Tourism development in our state.
  1. I know that, YB Datuk Amar Awang Tengah, our Minister of Industrial Development have also been to see the Bamboo Industry in China and can vouch that Bamboo Industry not only has good potential as a Non-Timber Industry but also can be used as a rural transformation programme.
  2. And I also know that YB Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, our Deputy Chief Minsiter and Minister for Agriculture and rural development is also a fan of Bamboo. Thus, we hope that we can get all round support for this initiative to make this project a success for our people and our state.
  1. ABOUT PROJECT REQUESTS BY LOCAL COMMUNITY

YAB Datuk Amar, as I am no longer a Wakil Rakyat, please excuse me for sounding like a wakil Rakyat requesting for projects for the rakyat when our top state leaders come to visit them like here today. Nevertheless, as they have been pestering me to voice their needs and to convey their request to you Sir, I feel obliged to convey their three (3) project requests as follows:-

  • FIRST REQUEST :

KAMPUNG APAR BY PASS ROAD AND REPLACEMENT OF BAILEY BRIDGE OF SUNGAI ADIS

For the government to construct the KPG Apar by pass road with the replacement of Bailey Bridge over Sungai Adis with a concrete bridge. This Project has been approved by the Federal Minister of KKLW in the last state election. The project is most needed not only to avoid going through the narrow kampung road posing danger to the kampung children, but also to facilitate the development of this side of the river where these is a few thousand acres of NCR Land that Perimeter Survey has been done and now an Agriculture Department Rubber Scheme is being carried out needing heavy vehicles to cross to this side of the river for the development of these NCR land and improve the economy of the rural people here.

  • SECOND REQUEST:

Construction of TELCO TOWER at Adis Soba Road.

The construction of TELCO TOWER to cover the western Part of Kpg Apar, Kpg Barieng, North West of Kpg Sibuluh and mile 4 to 6 of the Bau-Lundu Pan Borneo Highway. A proposal has been submitted to MCMC and I understand they have studied the request to be justified and with YAB Datuk Amar strong emphasis on ICT  development in Sarawak and the fund YAB Datuk Amar have made available for ICT infrastructure development in Sarawak, it is hoped that government can implement this project soonest possible to narrow the digital divide between the urban and rural areas especially areas which is very close to the urban centre like this and ripe for development for Agriculture and Tourism Industries.

For example, when talking about BTV,  the first question that people ask, especially the younger generation, and the foreigner is “IS THERE INTERNET HERE?” And of course here at BTV even phone line is very poor what more to say about internet connection!

  • THIRD REQUEST:

Extension of Electricity and Water Supply along Adis Soba Road

There are at least over 100 families who have land and want to stay and farm their land along the remaining 2 km of Adis Soba Road that has not been provided with electricity, and water supply. Thus, they would be most grateful for YAB Datuk Amar kind assistance for the government to extend the water and electricity to the remaining 2 km of Adis Soba Road, please.

  1. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we at Borneo Tribal Village hope that all of you who come here today can take your sweet time to explore BTV along the VISITORS TRAIL to have a sweet memory of your visit here and don’t forget to share it with your family and friends so that they too can come here to share this unique place of perpetual wellness with us. And we would be most thankful to our State Tourism Minister YB Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah of his Ministry can kindly assist to promote BTV as another unique tourism product in the state. We have appointed our consultant to do our promotional and corporate video and once ready we can give it to your Ministry for the purpose please.

And before I conclude, we wish to put on record our most sincere appreciation and thanks to YAB Datuk Amar Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Openg ketua Menteri Sarawak and Yang Amat Berbahagia Datin Amar Dato Hajah Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Haji Bujang for your kind presence with us here today to officiate this 5 in 1 event.

And to all the government ministries, departments, agencies, REDEEMS,  Participants of BTF17, Volunteers from UCSI and all others who have worked very hard to assist us in one way or another to make this event a success, we say thank you very much.

And to all our VIPs, Guests, Visitors, Friends, Relatives, Press and media, and all of you here, a big thank you for spending your precious time to join us here today.

kelvinkho