Monday, February 02, 2009

Lawas - a beacon on the horizon


LAWAS : Lawas town, located a 30-minute drive from the Sindumin check point at the Sabah-Sarawak border offers many fascinating and historical places to local and foreign travellers.

However, these places of interest in Bumi Kenyalang, once ruled by the white Rajah James Brooke were not given appropriate coverage in the local media including tourism magazines.

New Sabah Times journalist Shane Shah visited Lawas district recently accompanied by Lawas Hospital retiree named Matsalleh Amit.

Tourists and travellers from Sabah pay RM20.00 to travel to Lawas by bus for the three and half hour journey from Kota Kinabalu. The bus leaves at 7.30am and 1pm everyday from the bus terminals near Padang Merdeka and Wawasan Plaza.

Upon reaching the Sindumin check point, passengers have to produce personal and travel documents for screening by Immigration and police officers.

A Lawas District Council (LDC) counselor, Hj Ali Akbar Hj Awang Din interviewed by New Sabah Times on January 13 says the Sarawak Government will continue to allocate funds to develop Lawas town and rural development projects like roads, electricity and water supply, oil palm plantations and other basic amenities.

“Lawas town and its suburb have undergoing rapid development since Sarawak gained independence in Malaysia 51 years ago,” says Ali Akbar.

Local Government and Federal offices including district police headquarters, hospital, schools, Fire Rescue Department, rows of concrete shop houses, hotels, lodging houses and public amenities were built in Lawas years ago.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Lawas - a beacon on the horizon
.

No comments: