Highway efficient economic stimulator of small gardens in Concrete

BETONG, Sept. 24: Efficient road infrastructure plays an important role in boosting the economic activity of rural residents especially in facilitating marketing of local agricultural products and commodities.

For communities in the Concrete Division who mostly live in long houses and rural areas, the convenience of paved roads allows agricultural crops including fresh palm fruits to be more easily taken out to market.

The head of the Betong Regional Society, Temenggong Piee Alwi said that the development of the basic infrastructure has greatly benefited small palm growers who depend on road networks to bring their income to buyers.

"The highways do play a very important role in increasing the economy of the population, especially in the area of Betong which has many long houses and villages as well as engaged with small palm plantations.

"To get commodities out, there must be good roads. It's as if the Concrete Section has been covered by dead-end roads", he said.

He said that when he met TVS on Sarawak's program My Dearest in Betong, today.

According to him, although some of the population cultivates palm trees in small quantities, yields per harvest can reach about eight to 10 tons.

With today's perceived encouraging palm prices, it is able to be among the important sources of income for rural communities.

He said that the presence of palm crop buyers in some areas including Bungin, Debak, Saratok and Pusa also made it easier for farmers to market their produce.

In the meantime, Piee explained that although there are residents especially young people who migrate out of villages to work including to Peninsular Malaysia, there are still those who choose to stay with families and cultivate palm trees.

Apart from the agriculture sector, he said, Betong also has local food products that have the potential to contribute to the economy and tourism sector through Buntal Fish.

The Buntal Fish Festival held in Kampung Manggut, Spaoh became a platform to introduce the dish which is considered among the local community's iconic foods.

"The promotion of the party helped expand acceptance of Buntal Fish to get demand from consumers outside of Betong.

"First of all, the Buntal Fish was discarded and cost about RM3 a kilogram. Now it's up to RM15 a kilogram.

"For us in Concrete, Buntal Fish is an iconic dish and it's actually quite a delicacy. Some are preserved as salt fish", he said.

He said, Buntal Fish can be found in the area of Batang Saribas which includes several localities including Meludam, Semarang, Sepinang, Beladin, Pusa up to Spaoh and Bungin areas.

Obviously, the uniqueness of the river's resources as well as traditional food has the potential to continue to be highlighted as a product of concrete identity, thus opening up more economic opportunities for local communities.