Hardcore poor family’s welfare improved after moving to better home
The poor living condition of a family in Kampung Bokilong here, that went viral on social media mid2020, has now improved after moving into a better home.
The new home was built under the hardcore poor housing program (PPRT) from the effort of Kadamaian assemblyman Datuk Ewon Benedick and former Kadamaian Community Development Leaders Unit (UPPM).
Ewon hoped the current government will continue to be sensitive towards the people’s needs not only in terms of PPRT housing but also other development to benefit the people holistically.
“As the elected representative of the people of Kadamaian, I will continue working to help the people in my constituency and continue with other forms of aid such as birth aid (sumbangan kelahiran) that we started in 2018,” said Ewon.
In March 2019, the home of one Endang Tawan in Kampung Bokilong, here, was destroyed in a fire. On the initiative of Ewon, the UPPM, village community management council (MPKK), Welfare Department and
Parliamentary Service Centre at the time, a new structure was built for the family in August 2019, as a community effort.
Former Kadamaian UPPM Pemaju Mukim Mark Lister Faustin said in June 2020, a viral social media post claimed that a family in Kampung Bokilong lived in a house with a “dirt” floor until it became an issue.
“Coincidentally, the house was in my mukim at the time and I investigated the matter to find that the family in question was that of Endang, who we helped build the house for, after the fire.
“The picture of the house with a ‘dirt’ floor was an old picture, before construction of the house was completed. The issue was used as a political tool against the government at the time.
“We helped build the family a temporary house while awaiting approval for an application for the PPRT house,” Mark explained. Now, the house can be inhabited by Endang, her children, children in-law and grandchildren, even though electrical wiring has not been completed, he added.
Mark hoped the current government will help the family get electricity supply via electricity pole as their house is far from existing power supply, especially taking into account the hardcore poor status of the family.
“At this time, Endang and her family use solar lights as a light source during the night,” said Mark, after a visit to the house with former Pemaju Mukim Juin Kolod. They also distributed cooking supplies to the family.