BRS residents want their extended family lots

KUCHING: Residents at Bengoh Resettlement Scheme (BRS) are appealing to the state government to expedite the extended family lots that have been promised to them.

According to BRS task force committee chairman, Itodeo Peu, the committee had applied for 217 family extension lots in 2009 and he hoped the matter would be resolved as soon as possible.

He said of the 217, Kampung Taba Sait had applied for 64 lots, Kampung Semban Teleg (70), Kampung Pain Bojong (49) and Kampung Rejoi (34).

“While I thank the state government for their willingness to allocate a land reserve for the extended families, I would appreciate if the lots are made available for us as soon as possible,” he said at a dialogue which was attended by Kuching Division deputy resident Tuah Suni, Sarawak administrative officer (SAO) for Padawan SubDistrict Office Rangen Jamang and Special Aide to Assistant Minister of Public Health Dr Jerip Susil at BRS here yesterday.

Meanwhile, a villager Sagen Adan from Kampung Semban said the distribution of the extended family lots was not a small matter.

“To us, it is a very important matter and must be solved as soon as possible in view of the fact that many family have expanded.

“In my kampong, where there are 59 houses, in some houses two or three or four families are living together.

“Imagine a house of the same size accommodating three or four families. So there is an urgent need for the extended lots now,” said Sagen, who is Kampung Semban development and security committee deputy chairman.

Kian Masur from Kampung Taba Sait concurred with Sagen saying many families who now live in rented home in the city wanted to stay at BRS but because the existing house could not accommodate them they have to continue renting.

“It is my hope that the government expedites the distribution process since the lots had been promised to us.

“The government should not wait for everyone to move down to give the lots because those people who refused to move may not come down.

“If you were to wait for everyone to come down to give us the lot, then many of us will be having big families living in a single house,” he said.

Rangen in answering some of the questions raised during the dialogue said the Land and Survey department had approved 217 lots.

However, he could not tell when the lots would be issued to them.

He also said the committee could still apply for some more if the need arise.

On the size of each lot, he said it was up to the Land and Survey to decide.