Dr Abdul Rahman (second right) and Hasfa (right) join the villagers of Kampung Salak in the unique Maulidur Rasul procession, which takes place along Sungai Salak.

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has assured Sarawakians that it would strive to proceed with the infrastructure projects meant for villages and other rural areas, which have been cancelled by the federal government.

According to Assistant Minister of Rural Electricity Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, these cancelled federal projects would be continued, with funding to be provided by the Sarawak government.

In this respect, he calls upon all village security and development committees (JKKKs) to submit their lists of these

infrastructure projects to Sarawak government so that these physical developments could be implemented.

“The Sarawak government is always concerned about the crucial need to provide basic necessities like treated water and electricity supply, as well as telecommunications, to the village communities,” he spoke during the ‘Pulau Salak Berselawat’ programme at Kampung Salak in Pantai Damai near here yesterday.

This activity, which was run in connection with this year’s celebration of Maulidur Rasul (birthday of Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.), was organised by the JKKK, Friendly Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Watch of Kampung Salak in collaboration with Kuching North City Commission (DBKU).

On another subject, Dr Abdul Rahman – also Pantai Damai assemblyman – called upon all JKKKs to uphold their responsibility in preserving the spirit of unity among their fellow villagers and fighting off any negative element that could disunite the community.

“It is our duty to protect our unity. Those with bad intentions are just waiting to break us apart , and we must never let this happen,” he said.

The programme at Kampung Salak yesterday included a unique Maulidur Rasul parade, in which the villagers carried banners and decorations in their ‘perahu’ (small boats) across Sungai Salak.

Dr Abdul Rahman and his private secretary Mohamad Hasfa Salleh also joined the villagers in the ‘river’ procession.