Sempurai (second left) and Lau (third left) show their tokens of appreciation, which are sape, given by Thomas (left) at his longhouse in Bawang Assan.
SIBU: Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) assures the public that all its projects will be allocated fairly among the longhouses and the townships under its jurisdiction.
Council chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai says these projects include those under the Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris), Local Authorities Project (BP1) and capital grants.
“With vast areas under SRDC and insufficient funds available, we need to be fair in the selection of the projects.
“For project implementation, I always emphasise on areas that are in urgent and critical need to be maintained, to be given priority before we allocate (the funds) to other longhouses and areas,” he said during a gathering with 15 longhouse chieftains from the Bawang Assan area, who attended a SRDC community development programme at Rumah Thomas Sebom in Bawang Assan yesterday, where SRDC deputy chairman Robert Lau Hui Yew was also present.
Sempurai stressed that the council’s projects must be implemented according to their turn.
He also told the longhouse chieftains that they could request projects from other government agencies like Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), Public Works Department (JKR), as well as from ‘the local YBs’ (people’s elected representatives) under their respective Minor Rural Project (MRP) and Rural Transformation Programme project (RTP) grants.
On the community engagement programme at Rumah Thomas Sebom, Sempurai said it helped SRDC to be engaged with the community through talks delivered by Fire and Rescue Department, Health Department and the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).
“I hope with this kind of talk, all the longhouse folk can gain some knowledge on fire prevention of which, there had been cases of longhouse fire (reported) in Sarawak of late.
“We need to exercise caution when it comes to the electrical appliances and cooking equipment,” he said.
On SRDC councillors’ performance in Bawang Assan, Sempurai praised them for their dedication and commitment including going to the ground to obtain first-hand information about the municipal services, issues and problems.
“So far, all the councillors under Bawang Assan area really show their commitment, not only in the meeting room, but also on the ground. I urge them to serve the people under SRDC jurisdiction with dedication, without fear and favour.
“Put politics aside and work as a team. I have always emphasised (this since) the beginning of SRDC councillorship,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile in his remarks, SRDC deputy chairman Councillor Robert Lau Hui Yew acknowledged that there would be a lot that needed to be done in implementing the Marris project within the Bawang Assan area.
“The council’s Marris fund is not sufficient to cater to requests from the longhouses in Bawang Assan and all other areas under SRDC jurisdiction. So, I call upon the residents to be patient, and work together with SRDC to ensure that the council can assist the longhouses folk and provide the municipal services effectively,” Lau said.
Earlier, hosting longhouse chieftain Thomas Sebom thanked members of the SRDC, especially Sempurai and Lau, for attending the programme and completed the longhouse’s road project under Marris.
He also thanked the organising persons-in-charge, namely councillors Donald Gilbert Muntie, Suliman Supit and Lipan Jalani.