SIMUNJAN: The Sarawak Government has approved an allocation totalling RM7 million for the construction of a new mosque in Kampung Tanjung Harapan, with the project expected to enter the tender phase in June this year.
Batang Sadong Member of Parliament, Rodiyah Sapiee, said the approval reflects the state government’s continued commitment to ensuring that basic facilities and the spiritual needs of rural communities are well taken care of.
“The construction of this new mosque is hoped to become a more comfortable and conducive centre of worship and a place to strengthen unity among the local community,” she said.
She said this when speaking at the ‘Alus Manis’ Traditional Candy-Making Course organised by the Sarawak Women’s Federation (PPWS) Tanjung Harapan at the Kampung Tanjung Harapan Community Hall on Saturday (Jan 24).
Rodiyah also shared updates on several other infrastructure projects aimed at improving the well-being of village residents, including an additional RM200,000 allocation to upgrade internal village lanes involving about 15 houses, with priority given to critical access routes.
In addition, RM200,000 has been allocated for upgrading works at the Kampung Tanjung Harapan Community Hall, including kitchen facilities, which are scheduled to go through a tender or ballot process in February.
On economic empowerment, she said the government has lined up various initiatives in 2026 to support rural women entrepreneurs, including the Sarawak Women Empowerment Capital Grant of up to RM5,000 for those in the B40 group, a one-off RM1,000 Sarawak Women Head of Household Assistance for underprivileged single mothers, as well as financing and support from agencies such as TEKUN, MARA and KEMAS.
“I encourage women in rural areas to seize these opportunities and submit their applications as early as January, as the annual allocation is limited,” she said.
Touching on environmental cleanliness, Rodiyah suggested that villages establish centralised waste disposal points to facilitate rubbish collection by the Simunjan District Council, citing narrow village lanes as a challenge for door-to-door collection.
She also highlighted the role of PPWS as an important platform for uniting and empowering women as agents of grassroots community development, adding that skills-based programmes such as the ‘Alus Manis’ candy-making course could help generate income and preserve local heritage.
