Chukpai (right) speaks to one of the affected residents at the site of the fire.
BINTULU: Each of the 30 affected households of the razed Uma Bakung in Sungai Asap, Belaga will receive immediate relief assistance of RM1,000.
This was announced by Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon, who arrived at the scene to meet residents in the aftermath of Monday’s fire.
“There are no proper words that I can use to express my feeling when I heard about this disaster which no one wants to ever happen.
“No blame should be placed on anyone over what happened, and the only thing we can do is pray that it will not happen again in future,” he said.
Chukpai assured the residents that help is forthcoming for them to rebuild the longhouse, and also thanked non-governmental organisations and other groups who were quick to aid the fire victims.
The assemblyman was accompanied on his visit by Bintulu Welfare Department personnel, who distributed food and other forms of aid to the residents.
The fire, which broke out around 10.45am, gutted the 30-door Kenyah longhouse and left over 400 homeless.
No injuries were reported during the incident, the cause of which is still being investigated by the Fire and Rescue Department.