KUCHING: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) national goodwill ambassador Datuk Nicol Ann David says she hopes to play a bigger role in bringing development and betterment to the transportation system in Malaysia, particularly in the rural areas of Sarawak. The reigning world women’s number one squash player said yesterday her recent trip to far-flung Punan Bah, about 80km from Kapit opened her eyes to the challenges of living in the rural area where there were no highways which city dwellers like herself are accustomed to.
“Public transport in the rural areas is so much different compared to that in the city. In the rural areas the people rely on rivers, and it’s hard to change from this lifestyle (living in a city) to that. The trip (to Punan Bah) is part of UNDP projects and I hope to take part in other projects so that I can be more involved with the government in improving the transportation system and preserve the rivers,” she told The Borneo Post here. Nicol was on a three-day working trip to Sarawak to visit and experience the rural life in Punan Bah and share the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with school children there. The Punan is one of ethnic groups under the Orang Ulu community and Punan Bah is the largest and oldest Punan longhouse in Sarawak.
Her final day in the state ended with a ‘Lunch and Learn’ programme and a river cruise along Sarawak River where she gave a motivational talk and told stories, and presented mementos to UNDP’s partners in the Sarawak Inland Waterway Transport (SIWT) Education and Awareness Programme on board the MV Equatorial. Nicol said she visited Sarawak several times previously but never had the chance to explore the interior areas. This trip with UNDP and Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) provided her the window of opportunity to the unique rural landscape and lifestyles.
“I flew from Kuching to Sibu and from Sibu, (on Monday) I traveled by an express boat for six hours to Punan Bah with a short break in Kapit,” she said. She said the journey also taught her how a rural town like Kapit and its citizens depended on the river for survival, adding that the landscape along the Batang Rajang also changed as the express boat moved deeper into the interior. She said she stayed at the village headman’s house and felt so welcomed by their warm hospitality although a fire in early May almost wiped out the entire longhouse and destroyed four ‘keliriengs’ (burial poles) believed to be among the oldest ‘keliriengs’ found in Sarawak.
“They were so hospitable and still so happy with what they had despite the fire,” she said. During her stay at Punan Bah, Nicol visited the primary school and told children’s story, which bore green messages and what young people could do to make the world a better place to live in.
“They were simply amazing - so attentive, responsive and excited with our visit,” she said. She said she felt touched with written messages from the children who thanked and invited her to visit the village again. She added that she enjoyed the trip, and being a UNDP goodwill ambassador gave her an opportunity to reach out to young people across the community and be their voice on pertinent current issues. The next day, she traveled by speed boat to Belaga and from Belaga, she rode on a four-wheel drive vehicle to Bintulu, and from there, flew to Kuching. The SIWT System Study was launched on March 28 last year.
UNDP and SRB carried out the SIWT study to support the government’s strategy as outlined in the Ninth Malaysia Plan to develop rivers in Sarawak as an integral part of the state’s transportation network. The project aims to formulate a masterplan that will enhance the development of Sarawak’s waterways as a viable and sustainable infrastructure network, increase mobility and access to the rural areas, enhance opportunities for tourism, and provide profitable, long-term economic activities. The masterplan will cover the period to 2020 and will also incorporate a five-year action plan that will be implemented by SRB.
The SIWT Education and Awareness Programme has completed 10 programmes across nine divisions in Sarawak, promoting the importance of Inland Waterway Transport, community participation, river cleanliness and safety. Almost 2,000 participants have been involved in the programmes, jointly conducted by UNDP’s key partners from the Education Department, Natural Resources and Environment Board, Fire and Rescue Department, Sarawak Health Department, The Borneo Post, and the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations of Malaysia.
On July 24, UNDP and SRB will be launching ‘Reflections From Sarawak’s Rivers’, a coffee table book in Kuala Lumpur, which explores the intricate links between the rivers and the communities of Sarawak. In connection with the launch, a photo exhibition themed ‘A Journey Through Sarawak’s Rivers A Human Development Perspective’ will be held at Hilton Kuala Lumpur, and followed by lunch with Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
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