Uma Akeh villagers now enjoy clean water
MIRI: The Uma Akeh longhouse folks recently celebrated the completion of a community project that brought clean water supply to their longhouse.
The community project, which was carried out on a ‘ gotongroyong’ spirit, was spearheaded by two Kuala Lumpur-based youth organisations namely Malaysian Humanitarian Movement (MYHumanitarian) and International Youth Centre (IYC) Kuala Lumpur.
Uma Akeh longhouse chief TK Anthony Ngau expressed his gratitude to the two nongovernmental organisations (NGO) for carrying out the project successfully.
“The project started on July 17 and it was completed in less than a month,” he said at the ‘Community Project on Clean Water Supply for Uma Akeh Longhouse’ handing over ceremony at the longhouse in Ulu Baram on Sunday.
He also thanked Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the Sarawak government for approving the budget to implement the project.
“This water supply project is very meaningful to us as everyone in the village participated in the construction work under a high ‘gotongroyong’ spirit,” he added.
Meanwhile, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau who officiated the ceremony, said he was grateful that the project was able to meet its objective of bringing consistent water supply to the people under his constituency.
He said the community project at Uma Akeh, a 40-door Kenyah longhouse, was the second project following the success of the pioneer project at Long Puak in April last year.
He also pointed out that another similar project at SK St Pius in Long San, which is currently under construction, is expected to be completed soon.
He said upon this project’s completion, he will be proposing to the Chief Minister for the implementation of similar projects at two Penan settlements namely Long Latie of Sungai Layun and Long Sayan of Ulu Sungai Apoh.
He said the community clean water supply project served as short-term plan to address the clean water supply woes faced by rural folks in Ulu Baram particular during dry spells.
“It will take years for the implementation of stand-alone water treatment projects in Ulu Baram areas.
“While waiting for these projects to be in place, the implementation of community water supply projects will at least put a smile on their face,” he said.
As the community project would be carried out on a ‘gotong-royong’ spirit, he believed that such concept would indirectly develop a sense of ownership among the people.
As such, he called on villagers to adapt and practise what they had learnt from the NGOs including how to maintain the water supply system.
During the event, Dennis also officiated a RM17,000 solar project to light up the village’s surrounding compound.
He said MyHumanitarian had contributed RM7,000 for the longhouse’s solar project and the remaining amount was funded through his minor rural project (MRP) allocation.
Also present was MyHumanitarian president Khairul Annuar Mansor.