GPS reps get funds to fix, rebuild homes

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Awang Tengah (front left) and Henry (right) take part in the ‘gotong royong’ project under the state-funded MRP-PPRM programme in Trusan while Awangku Jinal and Ladin (fourth and sixth left respectively) look on.

Awang Tengah (front) inspects the condition of a dilapidated house at Kampung Tanjung in Trusan.

LAWAS: The Sarawak government is allocating RM1 million under a state-funded programme to each GPS assemblyman for repair and rebuilding of houses and longhouses in their respective constituencies.

The move is in response to the drastic cut in federal funds for projects that were approved by the previous government, which had caused delay in their implementation.

This was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is Bukit Sari assemblyman, at the launch of a project under the state-funded programme — Sarawak Minor Rural Project-Repairs and Rebuilding (MRP-PPRMS) — at Kampung Tanjung in Trusan on Sunday.

He said the allocation had been approved by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the State Cabinet.

“In Bukit Sari, I have instructed that every sen of this fund is to be utilised by end of this year through ‘gotong royong’ involving villagers, and approval is based on the vetting by the District Office, community and village heads and Bukit Sari elected representative’s service centre,” he said.

Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment and Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, said the first phase of this project in Bukit Sari involved 60 house, with top priority given by the vetting committee to fire victims and dilapidated houses in urgent need of repair.

He assured those yet to be included in this programme that their names would be included in the second phase of the project.

The Bukti Sari committee for the project is chaired by councillor Awangku Jinal Abidin Pengiran Jawa. With the project done on a ‘gotong royong’ basis, he said more costs could be saved to enable more houses to be rebuilt or repaired, Awang Tengah said.

Earlier in his speech, Awangku Jinal said the grassroots could see for themselves who really cared about their needs and aspirations and delivered the goods.

“The people should know where they are heading and choose to support leaders and the government that they know, not leaders who surface during elections,” he advised.

He said Awang Tengah has an impeccable record as their elected representative in serving them and attending to their needs.

Also present at the function were Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Lawas district officer Ladin Atok, community leaders and recipients of Phase I of MRP-PPRM Sarawak programme.

The back of this house at Kampung Tanjong in Lawas is about to collapse while the roof and ceiling are rotten.