Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has dismissed the presumption that the rural areas in the state were discriminated against in the pace of development.

NONE "No doubt, the towns are rapidly developing, compared to the rural areas. But this does not mean that there is no progress in the latter," he said at a meet-the-people session in Saratok yesterday.

He cited as examples idle lands that had now been developed as oil palm plantations, which had brought about an output of wealth to the state and wellbeing to the people.

"To date, one million hectares have been developed throughout the state. The people's lives are getting better than in the past because the Barisan Nasional (BN) believes in fair distribution of the country's wealth," he said.

He said Sarawak had undergone much transformation and progress since joining Malaysia 50 years ago and being led by the BN.

- Bernama