Zuraida Kamaruddin – Bernama file photo
KUCHING: Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin has agreed to arrange for a meeting with chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to discuss on issues that have been raised such as longhouse tuai rumah (chieftain) allowances.
She maintained her stance in a previous statement that requested the state government to handle allowances payment to the chieftains professionally.
“My goal is clear, the acknowledgement of tuai rumah regardless of their political leanings democratically is the right direction in the development of Malaysia Baru.
“They represent the voices of the people mostly in the rural areas,” she noted in a press statement in response to feedback by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Zuraida said the same goes to the issues pertaining to the development of longhouses.
She believed that land issues, which are within the jurisdiction of the state government, need to be given clear pathways in order to simplify the planning by federal departments to help the longhouses.
Zuraida further noted that her visit to Sarawak last weekend for the Pakatan Harapan Sarawak dinner programme provided a clear indication that the people of Sarawak are looking forward to the change that will take place in the next state election.
She also said that she had received a lot of input, as a result from several meetings during the visit, including matters pertaining to longhouses and housing in the state, as published by the local media.
On Monday, Uggah in responding to Zuraida’s statement said longhouse chieftains’ monthly allowances are being paid regularly.
He said they have been in the state government’s payroll system since 2013 and receive their allowances every month until the expiry of their appointments
Earlier, Zuraida was quoted as calling upon the Sarawak government to handle the ‘…the allowance for ‘Tuai Rumah’ professionally’.
She had accused the state government of not paying some village heads their monthly allowances as they were ‘not recognised just because they were appointed by Pakatan Harapan (PH) representatives’.
She was allegedly told about this by ‘Persatuan Kebajikan Rumah Panjang Bintulu’ (Bintulu Lognhouse Welfare Association).