RM372,000 to rebuild Rumah Meruan

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Alexander (centre) and wife Susan Clement (second left) celebrate the ‘ngiling tikar’ (closing of the Gawai festivities) at Rumah Austin Kilat, Ng Ngungung.

Alexander (centre) and wife Susan Clement (second left) celebrate the ‘ngiling tikar’ (closing of the Gawai festivities) at Rumah Austin Kilat, Ng Ngungung.

The people of Rumah Meruan re-building their home.

The people of Rumah Meruan re-building their home.

NGEMAH: A sum of RM372,000 has been set aside for the rebuilding of Rumah Meruan which was razed to the ground on June 7.

From the amount, RM72,000 comes from the minor rural project funds of Ngemah assemblyman Alexander Vincent while the remaining RM300,000 is from rural transformation project funds.

With the available funds, Alexander said the rebuilding project will soon begin to ensure that by next year, the 36-door residents at Rumah Meruan, Ng Tada Resettlement Area would have their new longhouse.

“We may need more funds as we have yet to discuss the design of the longhouse with the affected community. But presently with what we have, we can get the rebuilding project started by first clearing the land.

“If we find that it is not enough, I will ask for help from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry,” Alexander told BAT 5 here yesterday.

He said the new site for the longhouse has been identified.

“Since the fire, various forms of aid in terms of cash, food and clothing estimated at about RM300,000 arrived through government agencies, NGOS and political parties.

“Two weeks after the fire, the debris has been cleared and now the longhouse folk have started building temporary shelters for themselves at the old site while waiting for the new longhouse to be built,” he said.

The first-term assemblyman assured the affected community that their needs would be looked into by the government. As their elected representative, he would also make sure that there would be funds to complete the rebuilding project.

Meanwhile, longhouse chief of Rumah Meruan, Meruan Umang, 80, said the 36 families affected are still residing in whatever structure still standing at the old site as they have no other place to go.

“There was a space between our longhouse and our kitchen. The fire did not get our kitchen which was separated. Now, we are staying in the kitchen and some temporary shelter that we put up,” said Meruan, who has been the longhouse headman for the last 20 years.

He estimated that the fire destroyed more than RM100,000 worth of property per family as none of them managed to save anything from the burnt section – the ruai and living quarters.

“Our longhouse was partly concrete and partly wood, so it took only half an hour for the fire to burn down our longhouse.”

As it is an Iban taboo to rebuild the new longhouse on the same spot, a new spot must be identified for the future longhouse.

Currently, the affected longhouse folk have agreed on a space behind the clinic within the settlement.

Meruan said that after the incident, many had tried to help and that had made things easier for them.

“It is really heartbreaking for us. We were still celebrating the Gawai Festival when it happened. However, we are also grateful to those who had tried to help through donations in various forms.

“Our elected representative Alexander has promised to help us rebuild our longhouse. He always delivers. I believe we will have a new longhouse soon,” he added.

The folk of Rumah Meruan building a temporary shelter at the site of the fire to house their families.

The folk of Rumah Meruan building a temporary shelter at the site of the fire to house their families.

A view of Ngemah bazaar from the river.

A view of Ngemah bazaar from the river.

Boys perform the Ngajat to welcome Alexander.

Boys perform the Ngajat to welcome Alexander.

Alexander cuts the ribbon during the closing of Gawai.

Alexander cuts the ribbon during the closing of Gawai.