(Seated front row from left) Martin, Snowdan, Manyin and Sagah during the media conference after the briefing on the Serian mini sports complex project yesterday.
Their representative councillor Sunny Kon, in giving the assurance that the community strongly supported the idea, said it was time for the district to be made a division to enable Serian and its people to progress at a faster rate.
“It has been our hope to see that Serian will one day become a division, probably the 12th division in the state. Elevation of Serian from a district to division will certainly see greater growth and development here.
“As such, on behalf of the entire Chinese community in Serian and also its surrounding areas, I would like to thank the elected representatives for Tebedu (Dato Sri Michael Manyin), Tarat (Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn), Kedup (Martin Ben) and Balai Ringin (Snowdan Lawan), especially Dato Sri Michael Manyin, for working very hard to get the papers
ready for putting up the proposal to the state government,” he
said.
He told reporters this when responding to a remark made by Manyin at a news conference at the Serian mini sports complex yesterday.
Manyin, who is Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister, earlier pointed out that the papers on the proposal to make Serian a division were now ready and would be submitted to the state cabinet next month for consideration.
“We will submit our proposal to the state government and we hope that before the next state election we will get some good news. For the time being let us all pray hard for it.
“All of us, Datuk Roland Sagah, Martin, Snowdan and myself, we are very optimistic that this will become a reality since all the criteria are being complied with. Moreover, it is not just for the interest of any particular race alone but for the benefit of everyone, inclusive of all races,” he explained.
He said the idea of elevating the district was in fact long overdue, and the first draft was brought up to the attention of the state government when the present Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was chief minister.
“At that time probably the government thought we were still not ready but now I should say we have met all the criteria,” he said, adding that the size of Serian was 2,000 sq ft with a population of 120,000 people.
Among those present at the news conference which was held after a briefing by the Public Works Department (JKR) on the latest progress of the upgrading of Serian mini sports complex were Sagah who is also State Legislative Assembly deputy speaker,
Martin, Snowdan and heads of various government departments. The Borneo Post
