MUKAH: Fire victim Busang Belalan and his family may have to squat at their neighbour’s house for a longer period unless their PPRT house is rebuilt soon.
New Sarawak Tribune visited Busang, 73, and his wife Mis Rintas, 56, at Kampung Tellian Daya (Tellian Ulu) here on Wednesday (July 14) to check on their status.
Busang, who is self-employed, said his house was built under Program Perumahan Rakyat Termiskin (PPRT) sometime in early 1990.
Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, who is also Dalat assemblywoman, and Tellian assemblyman Yussibnosh Balo visited Busang and his families to hand over donations a few days after the fire.
According to Busang, both Fatimah and Yussibnosh wanted to see his PPRT house rebuild soon.
“However as of now, there is no suitable location available as I do not want to rebuild my house at the former site,” the father of three children said.
He explained that it was taboo among the local community to rebuild the house at the same site.
Busang, who has four grandchildren, revealed that there was a small space on the edge of the river next to his burnt house, which had been identified for the new site.
However, he explained that the site might not be suitable due to its location, and may involve higher costs.
Busang’s house in Kampung Tellian Daya was razed to the ground in a fire that happened at about 3pm on June 10, leaving nine of them homeless.
