BINTULU: Concerned over the growing number of longhouse fires in the state, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Sarawak Bumiputera Law and Customs), Datuk John Sikie Tayai has suggested that a security bureau be formed to mitigate the risks in future.
“Every longhouse must establish a security bureau,” he said during Friday’s meet-the-people session at Tuai Rumah (TR) Norma Sanggat longhouse at Jalan Samarakan, Tatau.
He believed that the bureau would be able to help enlighten longhouse people on fire prevention.
“This bureau is also to play a role in preventing drug use amongst the youth within longhouses,” he said.
Sikie also advised the village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) in longhouses to form an economy bureau to take care of their economic activities.
“One of the ways to improve the economy in longhouses is through agricultural and handicraft activities, for example breeding kelulut (stingless honey bee) — it is able to increase longhouses’ folk income,” he said.
Sikie added that the state government provides various assistance and advisory services through courses conducted by the Department of Agriculture or through AgriCOP (outreach programme) to the community of longhouses so that they will be able to increase their income.
“This is in line with the government’s target to have every household within the longhouses in the state to not have less than RM4,000 per month,” he said.
At the event, Sikie also announced a minor rural project (MRP) grant worth RM21,000 to TR Norma Sanggat’s JKKK and RM4,000 to its women’s bureau.
Also announced was an MRP grant amounting to RM30,000 to TR Bair and RM11,000 to TR Robinson.
Also present were Assistant Engineer of the Public Works Department Bintulu Division (JKR), Ngu Tie Hua and Penghulu Allister Digat.
