Asajaya - Making a Living from the Land

Pejabat Daerah Kecil Asajaya

Crossing the Kuching boundary into the 2nd division of Samarahan, driving past vast area of land and its lush vegetation, interspersed with small plots of farms and attractive kampung houses is the lesser known area of Asajaya.

Formerly known as Nonok, this small sub-district of Samarahan is a well developed town with good infrastructure including a new township which was opened only three years ago.

Asajaya has a total area of 162.83 sq. mile and has a population of 17,110. Eighty percent of its population are Malays , 12% are Iban while the remaining 8% are Chinese. There are 23 kampungs in the sub-district, all of which are equipped with electricity and water supply as well as telecommunication facilities. All the kampungs are accessible by roads and within short driving distance from each other.

The heart of ASAJAYA is the District Office, an attractive new building which houses a court, a post office, a Community Hall and the office premise for the 15 staff working to serve the community.

The sub-district of Asajaya has one secondary school with each of the 23 kampungs provided with at least one primary school.

One of the latest development in Asajaya is the recently completed mosque, Masjid Al-Najah. Standing out like a majestic monument, this mosque with its coloured tinted glass wall has become an impressive landmark in Asajaya.

The majority of its population are farmers cultivating cash crops such as coconuts, cocoa and local fruits - watermelon and orange. The produce are usually bought by vegetable and fruit vendors who in turn will sell them in wet markets in Kuching. Some are also involved in government aided projects (PPRT) such as poultry farming.

For a small place like Asajaya, the rate of development - availability of basic infrastructures and facilities, is impressive. As one farmer puts it, life has never been the same. The good road system linking this otherwise remote district to the city has improved the livelihood of the people, opening vast economic opportunities that will enhance the overall development of Asajaya.

Asajaya : Facts and figures

Area	162.83 sq miles
Population	17,110
Racial breakdown	Malays (13,988), Iban ( 1,922) and Chinese (1,200)
Number of villages	23 ( Malay - 14, Iban - 6, Chinese -3)
Main Economic activities	Farming (fruits, coconut and poultry)
Number of villages provided with electricity and water supply	All
Other facilities included	Tar sealed road, telephone, water and electricity supply, Asajaya/Sadong Community Hall, recreational facilities, mosques and/or surau in all Malay villages, schools and a new township.
ADUN/MP	YAB Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud
How to get there	45 min - 1 hr drive from city centre on good tar sealed road. Bus services are also available.

Skim Saliran Membangunkan Infrastruktur dan Pertanian Asajaya

Skim Saliran Asajaya merupakan salah satu daripada skim saliran yang terawal dan terbesar pernah dilaksanakan oleh Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) Sarawak dengan melibatkan RM 106.5 juta dan kawasan seluas 18,143 hektar.

Skim Saliran Asajaya telah dimulakan pada tahun 1955 dengan satu kajian untuk menentukan kesesuaian skim tersebut. Pada tahun 1969, kerja-kerja pembinaan mula dilaksanakan berperingkat-peringkat dan disiap sepenuhnya pada tahun 1988.

Skim ini telah berjaya meningkatkan pendapatan purata penduduk di Asajaya sebanyak dua kali ganda berbanding sebelum adanya skim ini. Pembinaan infrastruktur seperti ban dan pintu kawalan air telah berjaya mengatasi masalah banjir yang dihadapi oleh penduduk Asajaya. Fenomena ini seterusnya membolehkan lebih banyak tanah digunakan sebagai tanah pertanian.

Kerajaan sentiasa berusaha untuk membangunkan tahap sosioekonomi di kawasan luar bandar. Skim Saliran Asajaya telah membuktikan bahawa usaha kerajaan telah membawa perubahan yang positif kepada penduduk di Asajaya. Kini, mereka bukan saja tidak diancam oleh banjir malah memperolehi pendapatan yang stabil melalui pertanian komersil.

Pejabat Daerah Kecil Asajaya