| Wani Roslan |
MINISTER of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, as the co-chairman of the committee for the opening of the Kandol area in the Belait District, paid a working visit to the commercial rice cultivation site yesterday.
The minister was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin; Deputy Minister of Development Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin; Legislative Council member and Village Head of Kampong Labi 1 Yang Berhormat Hanapi bin Mohd Siput; senior officials and officers.
The visit was also assisted by the Third Battalion of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Fire and Rescue Department of Belait District, Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), and the Emergency Medical Ambulance Services (EMAS), Belait District branch, Ministry of Health.
Prior to the working visit, a briefing session on the commercial rice cultivation in the Kandol area was delivered by Head of Agricultural Engineering Services Division, Department of Agriculture and Agrifood Haji Saidin bin Haji Namit. The briefing session included suggestions on the construction of several water catchments and spillways for flood mitigation plans.
This was followed with a security briefing.
The working visit began with the observation of Kandol Paddy Site, followed by a boat ride along the Belait River to explore some areas for the proposed spillway construction for flood mitigation plan and suggestions for other infrastructure such as irrigation and drainage.
The opening of the Kandol area as the new rice cultivation site was officiated upon the titah of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, during the Knowledge Convention 2018.
The Kandol area is a 500-hectare site and will be equipped with appropriate infrastructure. In ensuring the project is successful, the handling of rice cultivation will be opened to companies including government-linked companies (GLCs).
The visit aimed to make an assessment of the recommendations relating to irrigation source and flood prevention for the proposed paddy sites and villages in surrounding areas, including proposal for spillway of the Belait River.
