Inaugural Btg Sadong Run a success, declares Nancy

 By Simon Peter

BATANG SADONG, December 11, 2016 - Batang Sadong Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri has declared that the inaugural Batang Sadong Bridge Run 2016 held here this morning was a success, not only terms of attracting large number of participants, but also in making Batang Sadong constituency a potential tourist destination.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri speaking to reporters after the completion of the run.

"The event has the potential to become a big tourism event in the constituency," the minister in the prime minister's department told reporters after the completion of the run, which was divided into 5km and 10km categories.

The run, she said, will definitely place Batang Sadong and the bridge as tourism destinations.

Nancy said she will make sure will be an annual tourism event, pledging to hold an even bigger run next year.

"The uniqueness of the run is that it is packaged with cultural and tourism events and of course, it also opens opportunities for sports tourism," she added.

"I am pleased to see the much encouraging response, not only from the local residents, but also visitors from outside who have come to experience for themselves running over the longest bridge across a river in Sarawak," Nancy said.

She added the completion of the RM230 million bridge will spur more development, especially in Simunjan, Sebuyau and Sebangan and Asajaya in future.

"Besides implementing infrastructural projects like building roads, bridges, community halls and so on, the government has also been carrying out human capital development programmes in this constituency," she said.

These programmes include seminars, workshops and training sessions with the cooperation of non-governmental organisations, government agencies and the private sector.

Nancy said through such knowledge-empowering and skills-development programmes, many youths had become entrepreneurs and possessed various skills.

"I expect more infrastructural projects will be implemented to raise the people's standard of living in this constituency," she added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem are scheduled to officially open the bridge next week.