TANJUNG MANIS, Sarawak: The long outstanding issue of the lack of banking facility here will be a thing of the pass when Kuwait Finance House (KFH) sets up a branch here soon.
Assistant Minister of Promotion of Technical Education, Datu Len Talif Salleh said the setting up of such facility at this Halal Hub smack in the SCORE area was long overdue.
“I have been highlighting the issue in the past six years; that we urgently need a commercial bank in Tanjung Manis because without such facility, it will be difficult to do business there,” Len told BAT III over the phone yesterday.
He said he had highlighted the issue when he was the general manager of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) then.
“Now that KFH will soon operate in Tanjung Manis, I am sure the people from the vicinity will come over to do their banking transaction in Tanjung Manis instead of going all the way to either Sibu by road or Sarikei by boat,” said Len.
The only banking facility available here is BSN’s e-banking which has limited capacity.
Len said he was pleased because finally a commercial bank was taking the initiative to set up a branch here.
“I was informed that the bank has received an operation permit (OP) from the local council so it is now able to renovate a building at the town’s extension area.”
On the overall development of Tanjung Manis, Len said he was glad that most of the facilities such as port, airport, roads and communications were already in place.
“Tanjung Manis is well planned. Although it was mooted in 1981, its implementation was carried out only on March 11, 1990. So the whole development process is for the long term and not ‘on the spur of the moment’ or ‘after thought’.
“This also applies to the implementation of SCORE. It was mooted a long time ago but only implemented in 2008. It will take up to 2030 to fully implement it.”
Len, who is also Belawai assemblyman, disclosed that the state government had just approved an allocation of RM500,000 to build an open stage at a beach in Belawai to promote tourism.
“It will have dual frontages used for both water-based activities such as regatta as well as beach-based activities.
“And as far as tourism is concerned, I am working closely with Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg to develop the tourism potential of Belawai Beach which is already popular with local tourists especially from Sibu,” he said.
He added that the tourism sector was one of industries to be implemented under the overall Tanjung Manis master plan which is part of the SCORE area.
Other industries to be included in the master plan are oil and gas, halal hub, timber, oil palm, fishing, shipbuilding and aquaculture.
Tanjung Manis is now well-connected to Sibu with the completion of a 75km road not too long ago. It is also well connected to Pulau Bruit, Matu, Daro, Dalat and Mukah by way of the coastal road.
Tanjung Manis and its vicinity are home to the Melanau community numbering some 40,000.
**This article was published by Borneo Post Online. Read the original article here.