KAPIT : Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development , Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi visited the fire victims of Rumah Lorie @ Gembak Lebak at Nanga Ibau, Batang Rajang here on Thursday afternoon.
The modern 39-door semi-concrete longhouse was razed by fire on Saturday evening, making 236 occupants homeless.
Accompanying Nanta on the visit were Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, Tapah Ata, Kapit District Officer, Elvis Didit, administrative officers of Kapit District Office, Robert Anyaw and Wan Mohd Shukri, JASA Officer, Mohd Matan Yok, ASP Chua Su Hua, Penghulu Nylong Daga and several PBB members.
Nanta assured the fire victims of the necessary government assistance to help them reconstruct their longhouse.
He called on them to be united and patient in facing the challenges after the fire.
Nanta handed over school bags (from Yayasan Pelajar MARA) to 54 students from the longhouse.
He also handed over the donations from JASA Kapit in the form of mattresses, mosquito nets, buckets and so forth to Tuai Rumah Lorie who received the donated items on behalf of his people.
At the function, SERABAN , a Dayak based organisation in Kuching, chipped in RM2,500 to the JKKK.
At the site, Tuai Rumah Lorie briefed Nanta on the remedial measures taken by the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK).
“We are all staying here in a temporary shelter. We want to clear the site as soon as possible to erect a temporary home for first two or three years while waiting for the construction of a new longhouse.
“We hope to salvage as much as possible the building materials that are still applicable for use.
We have not made up our mind whether to relocate the new longhouse to a new site or remain here”, explained the headman.
He said that the longhouse folks lost everything in the fire.
Earlier on, Bukit Goram State Assemblyman, Jefferson Jamit Unyat also visited the fire victims.
He presented his contribution of RM8,000.00 and a grant from Nanta amounting to RM19,500 or RM500 per door.
