Maximus (front, left) presenting the official letter of occupation to resident Molizab Pangau, who is one of 20 heads of household who received new homes with the launch of the new Kampung Rita longhouse in Matunggong yesterday.
MATUNGGONG: Kota Marudu Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili has assured that the Barisan Nasional will continue with the business of development and transformation of the rural sector.
Ongkili said the provision of basic infrastructure is crucial for transformation, and it could only be provided by the government.
Therefore, the government will continue to do its very best to provide for the people’s development needs, even though the Matunggong state seat is an opposition seat, he said when launching the Kampung Rita longhouse here yesterday.
The new modern, semi-concrete 20-door Kampung Rita longhouse was built at a cost of RM1.2 million in order to ensure that the longhouse residents would have better and more comfortable living conditions with basic amenities, he added.
According to Ongkili, the Kampung Rita longhouse was one among six longhouses which had been rebuilt and launched within the past three years in Matunggong to replace the original dilapidated longhouses.
He also said 12 more longhouses were in various stages of construction, with funds from the Prime Minister’s Department.
“The opposition-held areas will lag behind in progress unless the people change their mentality and cooperate with the government to ensure development plans for their areas are successful.
“The Barisan Nasional plans to build 20 more longhouses in Matunggong over the next five years, and this will be made possible through approved allocations by the Prime Minister, who has been very attentive to the needs of the rural people despite there being many applications for allocations to rebuild homes in other constituencies and Matunggong being an opposition seat.
“It is proven that only Barisan Nasional can truly assist the people,” Ongkili said.
However, he warned that the development plans would not be realised if the people persisted in holding an opposition perspective and the local community would eventually be left behind economically by their own doing.
“The people must help themselves in order for the government to help them,” Ongkili advised.