Longhouse chiefs thank government for development
MIRI: Longhouse chiefs in Sibuti said there is no place for the opposition in their area as the Barisan Nasional government has always looked after their welfare.
According to Tuai Rumah James Biri, 61, the government has brought a lot of development to their longhouse and they are really thankful for that.
“Majority of us are in BN’s ‘team’. No doubt there is one or two who supports the opposition out of ignorance, but I am confident that this small number will not influence our votes,” he said when met at his longhouse at Lambir, about one and a half hours from here yesterday.
He added that at the moment, the government is currently working to get clean pipe water connected to their 21- door longhouse and soon they will not have to rely on rain water anymore.
James said there are many other projects given by the government to his longhouse folks including oil palm schemes under the Malaysian Palm Oil Board ( MPOB) that help villagers generate incomes for their family.
Under the scheme, the recipients are given free oil palm seedlings while the authority also helps them set up their oil palm plantation. Among the criteria for the scheme is that they must have their own land for the project.
“There are so much that the BN government had done for us since I became the longhouse chief in 1994. I do not see any reason why my longhouse folks would ever vote for the opposition,” he pointed out.
On another matter, James said that the bridge that connects their village to their cemetery ground had collapsed last month and they had asked the authority concerned to replace the facility.
“I have informed our ‘ wakil rakyat’ ( Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat) about this and he had promised to get it done soon. I just hope it can be done before our Gawai Hantu celebration on May 19 and 20.
“The longhouse folks will start to bring in stones and gravel for the cemetery starting May 14, and it would be a big hassle if the bridge is not ready. We would have to carry all these across little by little if the bridge is not ready by then,” he pointed out.
He hoped Ripin would help to speed up the matter so that the folks could carry out works at the cemetery with ease.
Meanwhile, another longhouse chief Misoon Timbak, 62, said since helming the post about 18 years ago, he has seen how the BN government helped longhouses and rural folks by bringing in development.
“I have seen how my village area and my longhouse benefits from all the development brought in by the government, especially back in the old days when our area was under MP Datuk Peter Chin.
“After Datuk Peter, there were Datuk Aidan Wing and Datuk Ahmad Lai who were just as generous as Chin in serving the people.
“From a longhouse in a remote area without basic facilities, now we have electricity, clean water and good road. Even the Pan Borneo highway is being constructed right next to our longhouse.
“Recently, our longhouse folks were also awarded oil palm scheme under MPOB. The scheme was given to some 20 families from our 30- door longhouse. We are really thankful for all these assistances from the Barisan Nasional government,” he said.
James and Misson also advised folks in Sibuti to vote for BN come May 9 to ensure continuous development in Sibuti.
“I am confident BN is going to retain Sibuti seat, but I want everyone to also ensure a big majority for them. I urged everyone to spare their time, no matter how busy they are going to be on May 9, to come and vote for the BN government that has always cared about us and looked into out welfare,” said Misoon.