Fire victims upset over shoddy workmanship on new longhouse
BELAGA: It has been a considerable wait for 15 families since fire destroyed their units at Uma Kulit, Sungai Asap in Belaga in 2013.
Having undergone delays due to the troublesome change in contractors responsible of rebuilding the destroyed block, the villagers were relieved and excited to be able to move back in after the completion of the works on the new units, which had been connected with water and electricity supply.
However, they were disappointed in seeing lots of damage and unsatisfactory workmanship on several units.
It is made known that the rebuilding project was implemented under the Malaysian National Security Council.
These were among the issues voiced out by the villagers, led by their headman Maren Uma Bujang Bit, during a dialogue with Murum assemblyman Kennedy Chukpai Ugon and Belaga District Officer Juan Ubit at the longhouse recently.
When met after the dialogue, Chukpai said he sympathised with the situation faced by the 15 families, who lost their properties in the late evening fire that struck the longhouse on Feb 10, 2013.
“I will allocate RM200,000 under my RTP ( Rural Transformation Programme) grant for 2019 for the construction of a ‘ ruai (common area) for the 15 units,” he said.
Meanwhile, Juan advised the villagers to list down all the defects that they found at their respective units, given that the project is still within the contractor’s liability period.
Uma Kulit is among many resettlements in Belaga District that house villagers who were affected by the construction of the Bakun hydroelectricity project.