MIRI: Residents of the Penan longhouse at Sungai Menok in Tinjar can expect to get their electricity supply early next month, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) said.
It assured that commissioning of the system by Sesco would start shortly after the contractor had rectified the glitches.
Responding to the article entitled ‘Longhouse in dire need of electricity’ published in The Borneo Post on July 22, SEB corporate affairs division in a press statement said all electrical installations including transformers and the electricity supply lines to the Sg Menok longhouse near Lapok had been completed.
“However, the contractor is required to rectify some defects in the installations. These rectification works are expected to be completed by end of July 2015, after which testing and commissioning of the installations will be undertaken by Sesco,” it said.
Delays in completion of the project by the contractor had irked locals who had been waiting eagerly for uninterrupted supply of electricity through the Rural Electrification Scheme.
When met at the Hari Raya Open House of Assistant Minister of Early Childhood Education and Family Development Rosey Yunus, Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Water Supply) and Marudi assemblyman Datuk Sylvester Entri confirmed that the system would be energised soon.
He said he had been informed by SEB that the power distribution lines were expected to be energised in early August.
“There were some low tension defects which need to be rectified this week and the contractor had requested for commissioning next week,” he said.
As regards the problem of lack of clean water, he said supplying potable water permanently to the longhouse and others in the area had been proposed for implementation in the 11th Malaysia Plan.
Sungai Menok longhouse deputy chief David Along on Wednesday responded immediately to the complaints with his clarification and told PKR Baram education head Elia Bit that she was barking up the wrong tree.
Elia who had just returned to the longhouse complained of the delay in supply of the electricity to the longhouse despite seeing the poles there since two years ago and lack of treated water, demanding that Entri step in to rectify the problem.