500 jerry cans mean clean water for folks in Julau

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TIMELY: Tuai Rumah Bundun shows the jerry can for her longhouse.

JULAU: The distribution of 500 jerry cans to those badly affected by the dry season and is without clean water here brought much relief to the recipients.

On Saturday, the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) Foundation under its ‘Ihsan Perdana’ programme presented the jerry cans to a total of 42 longhouses and 46 individual houses here.

A recipient Tuai Rumah Bundun Betih, 56, from Nanga Serintong in Pedanum, Pakan said they could now save on buying bottled drinking water from Sarikei.

“We are thankful to the government for giving us the jerry cans.

“We are told that it can filter rain and river water making it safe for consumption,” she said when met after the presentation of the jerry cans by Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Culture, Datuk Joseph Salang at Julau community hall.

She related that Gawai celebration last month was hard for them because of water problems.

Bundun said Sungai Pedanum, where her seven-door longhouse residents collect water for their daily use, was badly polluted by oil palm plantation activities.

“The colour of the water is like that of a milk tea. The river is our only water source because it has not rained since May,” she said.

Another recipient was 50-door-longhouse chief Tuai Rumah Dana, in his 60s, from Munus, Ijit in Pakan.

AT LAST: Tuai Rumah Dana (left) looks at the jerry cans for his longhouse.

He said they do not mind sharing the gift from the government.

“We know it is expensive because it had to be imported from England,” he said.

The longhouse residents, he said, also depend on river for their water.

“But timber activities in the upriver areas are polluting our river,” he lamented.

Dana’s longhouse was given 25 jerry cans while Bundun’s received four units.

Meanwhile, Salang, in his speech, advised the longhouse folks to show their generous spirit and share the jerry cans among themselves.

He said due to limited stock, one jerry can, which is able to filter 20,000 litres of water, is to be shared by two units (rooms).

“This is only temporary, while you wait for treated water to be supplied to the longhouses,” he said.

Salang, who is also Julau MP, said 1MDB had spent RM1 million to buy 500 jerry cans at a cost of RM2,000 per unit.

Also present at the function was 1MDB’s media and public relations chief Datuk Zahari Sulaiman.