Ting (fifth from right) and SUPP Pujut branch chairman Adam Yii (fifth left) pose for a group photo with the successful applicants showing their offer letters. Donny is on second right.
MIRI: For the first time in 30 years, Donny Alvin’s dream to build a house to call his own came true on Friday after he received a letter granting him an empty land in Tudan Desaras.
Formerly squatting in Kampung Merikan, Lutong, Donny together with eight others received the offer letters for the empty land from the Land and Survey Department.
“I could not contain my excitement, and I am sure the other eight families share the same feeling,” the 35-year-old told thesundaypost in fluent Mandarin yesterday.
“It is a huge relief to finally be able to build a house that I can call my own after two years of waiting (for the approval letter). We were told to vacate the land at Kpg Merikan, which our parents have been living in and where I grew up all these years,” he said.
In December last year, 62 families from the same village received approval letters for the new land, but Donny and eight other families were left disappointed when their applications were rejected.
Donny and his family-of-four, who are now temporarily residing at a relative’s house, already has a plan in mind for the new house.
“I would try to salvage what’s left from our old house (in Kampung Merikan) and hope to get enough wood to build a new house on the new lot. Hopefully, through gotong-royong with other families we will be able to move in before Gawai Gawai this year.”
He thanked SUPP Piasau chief Datuk Sebastian Ting as well as other officers who have helped them in making the appeal.
Ting, meanwhile, told a press conference that he would continue to assist families appealing for basic amenities like water and electricity supplies.
“Though Sarawak Energy Berhad and Laku have yet to reveal their decision, I hope that they would consider offering lower installation cost or even better to totally waive the charges,” he said, adding that the Department of Drainage and Irrigation was working on a plan to re-structure the storm drain in the new settlement.