Nanta prepares to cut a ribbon upon his arrival at Rumah Beli. He is flanked by Jamit (left) and Kapit District Officer Elvis Didit.
KAPIT: The 16-door Rumah Beli Jalak at Sungai Ibau, Batang Rajang will receive RM80,000 under the housing aid programme.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi announced the aid for the semi-concrete single-storey longhouse, which is partially completed, during a Special Affairs Department (Jasa) event at the longhouse on Sunday.
He said the aid would help the villagers to purchase building materials to complete the construction of their longhouse.
Nanta also announced that the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES) would soon cover Sungai Ibau.
“At the recent meeting with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, KKLW Minister (of Rural and Regional Development) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has requested for an allocation of RM930 million that was approved by the Prime Minister to complete the existing and new RES projects in Sarawak,” he said.
Nanta added that access road development projects leading from Nanga Ibau to upper Ibau, Nanga Belawai to upper Belawai, and from Nanga Sungai Menuan to Ulu Sungai Menuan, have also been proposed to provide better road connectivity for rural folk.
“It is good to have the gravel road first as we could upgrade it later. Once the road development projects are in place, then electricity supply will come in through the submarine cables across the Rajang River,” he explained.
Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat also announced a grant of RM8,000 for the Rumah Beli village security and development committee, and another RM3,000 for the longhouse’s women’s bureau to purchase cooking utensils.