BINTANGOR: In a heartening turn of events for 34 families residing in Rumah Panjang Labang at Sg Tulai here, their Christmas and New Year celebration took on added significance as they moved into a newly constructed longhouse.
Meradong assemblyman Datuk Ding Kuong HIing expressed his joy over the completion of the new longhouse after the previous one, consisting of 34 doors, was completely ravaged by fire in 2017.
He said delays in the construction process due to the COVID-19 pandemic also prolonged the wait for a new residence for the affected families by an additional two years.
“Today, the newly constructed Rumah Panjang Labang has been completed, enabling the residents to have a new longhouse to celebrate the Christmas and New Year 2024 festivities with their family members,” he said at the longhouse recently.
He also commended the residents for their patience and unity in collaborating to build the new longhouse, choosing to reside together rather than rushing to reconstruct individual homes.
Later, Ding also agreed to allocate funds under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) to tar the entry road and the outdoor area of the longhouse, facilitating the residents in conducting their daily activities.
Meanwhile, Ding, in a simple ceremony, handed over the door keys to the occupants of the longhouse.
Also present were Sarikei Deputy Resident Badjuri Bidin, Meradong District officer representative Ting Kai Siang, and Sarikei Public Works Department (PWD) officer Nabil Fikri Othman.
