Jamit delivers promise to longhouse
KAPIT: Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat has fulfilled his words to the residents of Rumah Rolland Bangau, Sungai Tisa, to revive the ‘ Tagang System’, an inland river conservation project, for the longhouse community.
The revival of the project was launched on Monday by Jamit together with Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail.
Accompanying them were Inland Fisheries senior assistant director Awang Alim Awang Kasim, Kapit agriculture officer Badin Unor, Kapit District administrative officer Bidah Lujah, Tuai Rumah Bina Mathew, Tuai Rumah Lapek, Tuai Rumah Austin Rungga and others.
When visiting Rumah Rolland Bangau on Aug 6, Jamit told the longhouse residents that he wanted to revive the Tagang System for the longhouse community after checking the surrounding environment, the eco-system and water quality of the river with officials from the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development, Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) and the Agriculture Department.
Initially, the Tagang System for the longhouse was a great success as the fish stock increased steadily but later, because of the logging activities, the river was polluted with mud and siltation, forcing it to be abandoned.
Now that the logging has stopped and the water is clean, Jamit said it would be possible to restart the Tagang System as a source of protein and to conserve the river.
Sungai Tisa, a tributary of Sungai Yong, meets all the requirements for inland river conservation programme because there is only one longhouse along the river – the 39- door Rumah Rolland Bangau with a small population.
Besides, its basin is vastly covered by forest and along the river banks are trees that bear fruit for fi sh.
Jamit also hoped to revive the homestay programme at Rumah Rolland as one of the economic activities for the longhouse folk to supplement their income, given that the longhouse can be accessed by road unlike before when it could only be reached by river transport.
Speaking at the longhouse, Jamit advised the residents to stay with the state government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and warned them to be vigilant against those who come to the longhouse for support.
“I appeal to you to remain strong supporters of GPS under the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg. Be our ‘ backbone’ and we are capable of looking after your needs,” he said.
Jamit also announced a grant of RM5,000 for each of the 15 families in the longhouse to repair their roofs totalling RM75,000 from Kapit MP Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi as requested when he and Nanta visited the longhouse in August. He also announced grants of RM5,000 each for Rumah Rolland Bangau, Rumah Lapik, Rumah Mathew Bina and Rumah Austin under his MRP.