News from Batang Ai (Part 7)
1. Rumah Beranda remains isolated
Rumah Beranda Aluk, Nanga Bengap which is about 15 km from the main road is little known longhouse as no VVIPs has ever visited it. Except for Jawah Gerang who visited the longhouse three times already and the late Dublin Unting visited the longhouse once only during his years as YB.
Only three days ago Mong Dagang, PRS youth chief, visited the longhouse. He represented the PRS president James Masing and promised a grant of RM5,000 to the longhouse.
Tuai Rumah Beranda and his “anembiaks” were happy to see a BN man visiting them especially during election times, as he wanted to tell them of their problems that have been harassing them.
Among others the problems are:-
(a) most of them are poor and the government should look after their welfare;
(b) they need plots of land for agriculture as most of the land surrounding them have been taken by Salcra;
(c) their road conditions are terrible and for the last 27 years they have been asking for the road to be tar-sealed; and
(d) they request for RM70,000 to repair their old longhouse.
Other Tuai Rumah should emulate Tuai Rumah Beranda and tell BN of their problems as this is the ONLY time that instant “noodle” projects will be promised.
Unfortunately, a junior official of BN was sent to the longhouse, the one who has no power. A minister in the likes of Joseph Entulu should have visited the longhouse.
2. RM2 million for longhouses in Batang Ai
Some RM2 million has been approved for the upgrading of longhouses in Batang Ai, said deputy rural and regional development minister, Joseph Entulu Belaun.
He said each “bilik” (door) of the identified longhouses would soon receive RM300 to RM1,000 for repairing walls and roofs and kitchen extension.
“The allocations are not carrots or for the purpose of fishing for votes because development in rural areas is ongoing,” he said, when he campaigned for Mussen at Rumah Jarop Kalang, Changkol.
Do you believe what he says?
Read more at: http://thebrokenshield.blogspot.com/2009/03/news-from-batang-ai-part-7.html
