MIRI: Interhill recently provided emergency relief assistance to Long Kabing residents whose longhouse was damaged in a fire on Jan 6.
STARTING ANEW: Ting (centre) and Yahya (right) with the first batch of clothing donated by Interhill.
Corporate communications manager Agnes Nyelang said Interhill immediately dispatched and distributed clothes, food and necessities to the Baram District villagers upon hearing about the tragedy.
Camp manager Ting Ting Hie handed over the donations on behalf of camp staff.
Agnes said Interhill has also begun assisting and working jointly with the villagers to rebuild the 15 doors of the 19-door longhouse that were destroyed.
“Interhill is buying some RM30,000 worth of building materials for the longhouse. The welfare of the villagers of Long Kabing is important to Interhill.
“We share their great sorrow for their huge loss, and hope that our contributions and support will be able to fortify their spirit and allow them to get back on their feet,” she said.
Agnes added that the emergency relief is part of Interhill’s Community Assistance Programme.
Meanwhile, the Welfare Department handed over immediate relief assistance to the 61 fire victims on Jan 6 and 7.
Divisional head assistant director Goh Yong Kiet, when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday, said apart from food and cooking utensils, cash assistance of RM40 was also given to the fire victims.
“Our staff dispatched the immediate relief assistance on both days, and later, we also gave RM2,500 to each family to assist them to rebuild their longhouse,” said Goh. Long Kabing village headman Yahya Unan thanked Interhill and the department for responding quickly.
“We are grateful that during this time of need, Interhill and the Welfare Department came and offered their ongoing aid and full support. The clothes, food and housing materials donated, especially by Interhill, are of tremendous help,” said Yahya.
He said the fire spread rapidly across the village, but fortunately there were no fatalities and nobody was injured.
The villagers worked hard to put out the fire but failed to do so in the end, leaving half the village reduced to ashes and 15 families homeless.
“I was shocked when I returned home. Everything had turned to ashes. Our belongings had all been destroyed in the fire, but thank goodness nobody was harmed,” he added.
Currently the victims are either staying at the village church or with their neighbours.