Ugak (right) hands over immediate cash assistance to one of the affected families.
KAPIT: Seventy-five people were made homeless when fire completely burnt down 15-door Rumah Tani, Sungai Tunoh in Bukit Mabong district on Tuesday. Fortunately no one was hurt in the mishap.
Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong on Wednesday visited the fire victims and distributed cash assistance from himself and Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing.
He was accompanied by Kapit Resident Joseph Belayong, Bukit Mabong District Officer Douglas Pungga and Robert Liman, administrative officer to Masing, as well as officials from the police, welfare, fire and rescue departments as well as local community leaders.
Ugak chipped in with RM5,000 and Masing also RM5,000 to be distributed among the 15 families affected by the fire. The cash assistance was to enable the affected families to buy immediate necessities.
Some NGOs from Kapit – Malaysian Red Crescent and Lions Club also brought assistance in the form of blanket, clothing and foodstuff.
“This year, I’m giving them RM20,000 in MRP grant. Besides that a company has given RM200,000 and Forhill Sdn Bhd also chipped in with RM5,000 and I’m asking Bukit Mabong District Officer Douglas Pungga to check on my ‘Bantuan Projek Perumahan’. If there’s money, I think I’ll use the money to build the house for them.
“The longhouse would be relocated to a new site because the government is planning new Tunoh Township,” explained Ugak.
At a dialogue session with the villagers, he advised the JKKK (Village Security and Development Committee) to purchase firefighting equipment such as fire extinguisher to protect their longhouse. With the equipment, they could immediately put off small fire before it could spread.
At the function, Ugak also handed over ‘Bantuan Balik Sekolah’ in the form of school uniform and bag to 132 pupils of SK Sungei Tutoh who are from Rumah Tani.