By Roger Duyong

SIBU:   Six new bilik or apartments and 53 old ones of a longhouse in Sungai Lengan will receive financial assistance for repairing their houses,  Daro State Assemblyman, Dr. Murni Suhaili announced when visiting the longhouse recently.

Each new door would be receiving around RM12,000 from the total allocation of RM40,000 meant to be divided among the six new families.

Murni said that such financial assistance provided by the government was part and partial of its efforts to uplift the rural people from the shackle of poverty.

He added that in order for the effort to continue, he advised the people to continue cooperating with the government.

The Assemblyman was launching the Housing Assistance Programme at Rumah Jawa anak Tanggai, Sungai Lengan, about 45km from Sibu along the Sibu-Tanjung Manis Road.

He revealed that every time he made field visits the main discussions had always been asking the government to repair their houses.  As such, the people here are a very fortunate lot as the government had responded positively towards their plights.

As for the disbursement of the financial aid, Murni had asked the relevant department namely, the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development to ensure that it be done smoothly without hitch, reaching the rural folk in Daro Constituency which registers 60 longhouses.

On another matter, Murni had asked the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) to reactivate its account so it would be easier for the government to bank-in financial assistance to the account.  He noted that many JKKKs received the Minor Rural Project (MRP) funds way too late as their accounts were not in order, adding that a RM100,000 fund was already approved and waiting for disbursement.

During the function, Murni also held a dialogue with representatives of the nine longhouses which were impacted by the NCR perimeter survey exercise.

“After this fruitful dialogue, I suggest the people here form a committed to look into his matter, so that they would be able to discuss with the relevant authority, such as the Land and Survey Department,” he said commenting after the discussion.

SAO Haji Khalid Andong who was representing Sibu District office and PBB  Sungai Lengan Sub-branch chief,  Dee anak Tam was among those present.

 (Source:  New Sarawak Tribune,  30 October 2011)