KUCHING: The assistance and programmes on self-improvement and income-generation provided by the government under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) ruling coalition are specifically meant to help improve the peoples lives, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.

He regards these initiatives as the enablers for the people to migrate to higher living standards, pointing out that many of the aid and the programmes have been geared towards helping the rural folk in Sarawak.

Uggah (right) presents the certificates to Benedict Blake, who represents the AgriCOP course participants. Witnessing the ceremony is Robert.

These (assistance and programmes) are essentially modern agriculture-based activities that include subsidies, materials and technical input. There are also the start-up capital and grants, as well as subsidies and aid meant to cushion the effect of falling commodity prices, he said in his speech for the launch of the Agriculture Departments Agriculture Community Outreach Programme (AgriCOP) at a longhouse in Samu, Paku in Spaoh yesterday.

On the Kenyalang Gold Card, Uggah said 1,191 out of 1,339 applicants from his state constituency of Bukit Saban had been approved.

He called upon more Sarawakian senior citizens to apply for the card programme, which would allow them to enjoy special privileges and discounts at participating businesses.

Uggah also listed childbirth incentives and post-natal assistance to mothers as among the state Welfare Departments assistance programmes slated for Sarawakians.

Then, we have the very well-received help from Unit For Other Religions (Unifor) to help finance the construction, repairs or renovation works on different houses of worship.

All these go to show that the GPS-led government is a most caring government for Sarawakians, and it is very committed in protecting Sarawaks rights and interests. Thus, it (GPS) deserves to be given the mandate to lead Sarawak again after the next state election, he said.

On AgriCOP, Uggah said it meant to promote modern farming programmes that the Agriculture Department had made available to the people.

In this respect, he called upon the rural folk to consult with the Agriculture officers regrading the programmes that they regarded as most appealing.

It is informed that there are a total of 122 people taking part in the AgriCOP.

Meanwhile, Betong MP Datuk Robert Lawson Chuat pointed out that AgriCOP had become very popular among the rural folk as the programme provided them with all the information that they would need to run modern farming.

Later at the event, Uggah announced the approval of 17 fertigation farming plots for the community of the 38-door longhouse.

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'Assistance provided by govt to help improve people's lives' - The Borneo Post