KUCHING: A 42-door longhouse in Stumbin, Sri Aman was not given ‘wang ehsan’ (compassionate fund) despite being hit by flood in 2009.
SEEKING BLESSINGS: Suyong (standing left) looks on as the miring ceremony was performed. Also seen are (seated, from left) Datuk Dr Anthony Nait and Bujang Budin.
Its headman Tuai Rumah Suyong Nanang brought this matter up at the Batang Lupar parliamentary level ‘Jom Berambeh’ (Let’s Get Together) programme at the village last Saturday.
Stumbin is under Lingga seat, one of two state seats under Batang Lupar with a sizeable number of Iban constituents.
Suyong told guest-of-honour District Officer Bujang Budin during a question-and-answer session that the ‘wang ehsan’ was promised to the longhouse but only seven families received it.
According to him, many folks are agitated by the delay as the payment was promised to be given by June 1 this year.
Bujang, responding to this, promised to look into their plight and will come back to them as soon as he got the feedback from the relevant authorities.
The federal government round had set aside RM34 million in the compassionate fund in 2009 for alleviating the burden of flood victims in Sarawak such as by enabling them to repair their houses damaged by floods.
Bujang declared open the programme on behalf of Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Cooperatives Datuk Rohani Karim who is also Batang Lupar MP.
It was jointly organised by the Batang Lupar MP’s office and village security and development committee (JKKK) of Rumah Suyong.
The programme aims to foster ties among residents in the vicinity and enable them to meet and discuss problems in a relaxing atmosphere.
Various government agencies such as the Agriculture Department, Registration Department, Land and Survey Department and Drainage and Irrigation Department had also set up booths.
There were talks and demonstrations by the Health Department, Cooperatives Commission Malaysia (CCM), and Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba).
Among those present were the programme’s organising chairman Datuk Dr Anthony Nait, who is also Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) Kuching branch chairman, and Sarawak Administration Officer (SAO) Datin Laceytona Anthony.
The other guests included Rohani’s senior private secretary Saifuddin Matshah, senior staff members of government agencies and community leaders from Iban and Malay villages.