Dennis (front row, fourth left) checking out the site for river embankment to protect the longhouse in his visit to Long Bemang last month to deliver the roofing materials.
MIRI (Oct 7): Relocation of flood-prone longhouses is costly but the government can assist with site preparation through Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) funds if there are requests, said Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau.
He also said a sum of between RM100,000 and RM300,000 could be allocated for ground levelling and access road to a new longhouse which intends to move to higher ground.
But longhouse residents would have to foot the cost of construction, he added.
He was responding to the plight of flood-prone villages of Long Bemang and Long Wat in Apoh region and Long Loyang and Long Batang in Tinjar in Telang Usan constituency.
“I support the idea of flood-prone longhouse relocation to higher ground but there is the issue of some residents who want to stay behind as they are sentimentally attached to their old longhouse built by their forefathers,” he said.
He also said the government could assist with limited funding as it is unable to cater for all the demands of longhouses for relocation due to the high costs.
He pointed to previous allocation of RM70,000 each for the rebuilding of longhouses in Long Aton, Long Palai and Long Anap in Baram which were destroyed by fire.
He, however, sympathised with flood victims in Telang Usan who suffered losses when their generator sets, cement bags, longboats and other properties were destroyed by flash floods recently.
He said other longhouses in flood-prone Long Bemang, Long Atip and Long Wat were spared the damage because the residents were more prepared for the disaster due to higher flooding frequency.
Dennis said he would discuss with Long Bemang headman Usung Ding on the way forward for the longhouse following his request for flood aid, and called on the state and federal governments to find a long-term solution to their long-standing issue of flooding.
Long Bemang was hit by flood for the sixth time this year on Oct 4 but this still pales in comparison to 15 incidents in 2017.
The 268-door longhouse is in danger due to the erosion and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has already approved RM10 million for the river bank protection project to prevent the longhouse from falling into the Apoh river.
Dennis said the allocation was based on Public Works Department’s estimate for the 200-metre bank protection.
Meanwhile, he said other forms of government assistance included roofing materials and transportation cost worth nearly RM300,000 for 84 families of the old longhouse were delivered to Long Bemang a fortnight ago.