Sri Aman DAP Youth wants specs on longhouse projects be fully audited by relevant authorities

KUCHING: Sri Aman Democratic Action Party ( DAP) Youth has called upon the relevant authorities to look into the shoddy quality of work carried out in projects at some of the longhouses here.

Sri Aman DAP Youth chief Alexander Frusis said this had caused unhappiness among the affected longhouse folk because the projects did not seem to meet the safety standard and quality specifications upon completion.

As such, he hoped the Pakatan Harapan ( PH)- led federal government could cooperate with relevant agencies to audit such projects, which were implemented mostly using Minor Rural Project ( MRP) grants.

“This includes investigating the awarding of projects to contractors in Sri Aman Division. There were rumours that the contracts were given to cronies and not through open tender,” he made this claim yesterday.

Alexander, who is also DAP Sri Aman publicity officer, was also supportive of the call made by DAP Sarawak vicechairman Leon Jimat Donald for the construction of Sri Aman Hospital to be audited as its completion was long overdue.

He said just like Leon, he hoped to see that the hospital project be expedited due to increasing medical needs in Sri Aman.

On another matter, Alexander suggested for the future appointment of village chiefs and ‘ tuai rumah’ ( longhouse chieftains) to be based on election among the villagers.

He claimed that the present village chiefs and ‘ tuai rumah’ are political appointees, selected through recommendation from elected representatives.

He also hoped the present councillors would not be considered for appointment as village chiefs and ‘ tuai rumah’, saying that there would be conf lict of interest seeing that they are both councillors and village chief or ‘ tuai rumah’.