LAWAS: The completion of Temburong Bridge in Brunei and the injection of RM1.5 billion to Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA) for the construction of various infrastructure projects will transform the tourism and economic sectors in this district.

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this development would open up new and greater opportunities for the local people.

“This calls for creativity and innovative ideas to tap into the potential of this district; its culture, adventure and nature (CAN) tourism and the spin-off industries,” he said at the opening of Lawas Tourist Information Centre here yesterday.

The setting of NRDA would see the injection of RM1.5 billion for development projects in Lawas and Limbang districts, which have been planned for the past two years.

“It will boost Lawas’ growth, especially its tourism sector which has been given more emphasis with the proposed road connectivity and other infrastructure.”

Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Urban Development and Natural Resources and Bukit Sari assemblyman, said the completion of Temburong Bridge was also expected to spur more development activities in the Brunei Bay area, which will have spill-over effect on Limbang and Lawas.

On another issue, Awang Tengah said the Sarawak government, through Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), was planning to connect Limbang and Lawas districts to the state (electricity) grid under the NRDA programme, and to step up telecommunication with the building of more transmission towers in collaboration with Brunei by using its fibre optics gateway.

“Sacofa and Brunei’s DST will share the use of fibre optics for better broadband services, and during a townhall session in Lawas recently the chief minister has said that better telecommunication connectivity was in the pipeline.”

Awang Tengah said all those developments in Lawas, which included improving the water supply system at a cost of RM180 million, augur well for the future of the people.

“The waterfront development in villages such as Awat Awat, Punang, Kuala Lawas, urban park in Sundar and in Lawas itself are all meant to attract more tourists. The highland areas will also be developed taking advantage of their pleasant climate and rich flora and fauna.

Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, who was also present at the function, said all these attractions should be properly packaged and promoted to the outside world to generate some income for the people.

“Tourism is the saving grace when prices of commodities such as palm oil, rubber and other crops are on the decline,” he said.

The event organising chairman councillor Semie Nasip said the Lawas Tourism Information Centre is the starting point for a more concerted effort in promoting attractions in Lawas, and there is a proposal to advertise it in cyberspace.

Limbang Resident Ahmad Denny Ahmad Fauzi and Lawas District Officer Ladin Atok were among the many people present at the function.