SANDAKAN: From a small village, Tongod, located in the heart of Sabah, has transformed and is now emerging as one of the increasingly developed rural districts.
The rapid development in the Tongod District, which falls under the Kuamat State Assembly constituency, has become increasingly evident in the past 10 years.
Among the new development projects expected to boost Tongod’s position in terms of the local economy are the construction of 12 units of multi-storey shop buildings at a cost of around RM7 million and the development of an integrated plant for producing cement, estimated to be worth RM1.2 billion.
Both projects align with the government’s vision to eradicate hardcore poverty, particularly in the Tongod district.
Many residents there, especially the voters of the Kuamut state constituency, acknowledge that the changes in the development landscape in the area are the result of the hard work and dedication of the Kuamut assemblyman, Datuk Masiung Banah, in championing the people’s welfare.
It is not uncommon among them to refer to their representative as the Father of Development of Tongod.
Residents of Kampung Tongod, Jamlin Kayatah, said that since Datuk Masiung became their representative more than 10 years ago, the government has spent over RM100 million to implement various development projects in the area.
He said this includes infrastructure facilities such as highways to villages, multipurpose village halls, mosques, churches, and recreational facilities.
“Besides the village roads, I see that the roads to other areas such as Telupid, Kinabatangan, and Sook have also been built and are currently being constructed.
“For example, the Linyukan-Sinaran Keningau route and the new route from the village to the tropical resort in Imbak Canyon, which is 47 kilometres long.
“The residents of DUN Kuamut are truly fortunate and lucky to have a far-sighted and visionary representative,” he said, adding that many more infrastructure development projects will be implemented in the future.
The Tongod district is also not left behind in terms of educational development.
According to former teacher Puan Jalilah Apiang, there are 19 primary schools and three secondary schools available for the convenience of students in the area.
“Our assemblyman is very concerned about issues related to the education of the children of Tongod.
“For example, many Tongod students will benefit from the Tongod Education Foundation (YPT) fund once it becomes a reality. ” he said.
Jalilah said that Datuk Masiung also emphasised efforts to help empower women’s development in Tongod.
This includes comprehensive health checks that enable early disease detection, especially for women, he said.
The District Chief of Tongod, Gundohing Jusison Saidin, also welcomed the initiative the existing government is strengthening culture and customary practices, including in the Tongod district.
He said that such an approach is believed to help develop the culture, customs, and languages of each ethnic group so that they do not perish in the rapid tide of globalisation.
Another resident of Tongod, Laising Podok, praised Datuk Masiung’s courage and determination in defending the proposal to establish a cement factory in Tongod.
“It is common for some parties to oppose this cement project, just as many did not support the establishment of the Putrajaya administrative centre in the past.
“The people should view this cement project in a positive light, especially as it helps create job opportunities for the village.
“If this cement project is successfully implemented, it will certainly help address the issue of hardcore poverty in this district,” he said.
In this regard, Laising expressed hope that the cement factory project could be realised, and hoped that the people of the Kuamut state constituency could unite to give a strong mandate to Datuk Masiung in PRN, thereby continuing the development agenda planned for the next five years.
Previously, Masiung was quoted as saying that he is determined to bring as much development as possible to Tongod for the benefit of the people in the area.
