Pasai Siong folk want promise honoured
Posted on June 27, 2015, Saturday
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VERY LONG, TIRING WAIT: Pensioner Thomas Chabu Geramong (inset)
lamenting that water pipes are without taps at Rumah Asin. The signboard
put up by a government agency in 2013 indicates a project to supply
treated water to Teku Pasai, Siong Tengah and Ulu Siong, but until today
nothing seemed to have moved.
Sudin says the longhouse’s water tanks are running dry due to the current dry spell.
SIBU:
The Ibans of Pasai Siong are hoping that the government would fulfil
its promise of providing treated water and electricity supply that they
have been waiting for more than 40 years.A resident of Rumah Asin in Ulu Pasai, Anthony Agam, said he had been waiting almost all his life to see these two basic amenities be available at his longhouse, but to his dismay, both are still not connected to this day.
“After serving in the (Royal Malaysia) Air Force for 22 years and being stationed in various parts of the country, it is very sad and disappointing that even after my retirement these basic needs are yet to be fulfilled.
“So, we hope that the government would treat us as ‘humanely’ as other Malaysians,” the 45-year-old told BAT V yesterday at his longhouse, about 50km away from here.
For Anthony and his fellow villagers, they are also worried about their Native Customary Rights (NCR) land, with regard to a plan by the government to develop them a few years ago.
However, he said this had fizzled out.
“We are hoping that the government would develop our NCR land, the majority of which are still idle. The most important thing is that whichever way the government intends to develop it, it must ensure that the landowners would benefit fairly.
“We do not want to be treated like some of those joint-ventures elsewhere where NCR land owners only receive a few ringgit per acre every year. It that’s the case, then we might as well lease out the land to the Chinese, who are willing to pay rent for our land. At least, we would have stable income every month,” he pointed out.
Anthony and his siblings have at least 50 acres of land, which remains idle.
His fellow resident Thomas Chabu Geramong, a 64-year-old a retired Public Works Department (JKR) personnel, said he also hoped that the government would be serious in developing their land.
“I have about 50 acres that I plan to divide among my children. I hope the government would provide the assistance so that they would get extra income from the land. Currently, our rubber plantation is unattended as the price of the commodity has declined sharply,” he said.
Sudin Asin, 41, a general worker, also hoped that his family’s land could be developed soon so that they would get steady income.
“I want to develop my land but I don’t have the means. So that’s why most of us from this longhouse, and others from around Pasai Siong have been hoping that either Salcra (Sarawak Land Consolidation Rehabilitation Authority) or Felcra (Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority) could come in and develop our land.”
The villagers were commenting on recent news report on a large tract of NCR land in Pasai Siong that had been marked for oil palm plantation.
Back on the water supply issue, both Chabu and Sudin hoped that the government would fulfil its promise soon so that they would not have to suffer during the current dry spell.
Anthony Agam
“We have been promised this and that during election times, but after so many (elections), we have yet to get water and electricity supply.
“Now we are really merinsa (suffering) because if there’s no rain, we would have no water. We have no choice but to buy water from Sibu for drinking and cooking. As for bathing, we have to go to the nearby river, which is polluted by waste from pig and chicken farms upriver. For those who have skin allergies, the water is really horrible,” the duo said.
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