KAPIT, Dec 27 — Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong has announced an allocation of RM50,000 for a 19-door longhouse at Nanga Entelangau in Baleh near here, where a landslide had struck recently.
The parliamentarian said this during a discussion with the residents of Rumah Jantai Siba, held during his visit to the longhouse last Friday.
“The allocation is meant to help cover the cost of constructing a retaining wall to prevent the recurrence of landslides at the longhouse,” said Ugak, who later announced additional allocations of RM20,000 for Rumah Jantai security and development committee (JKKK) and another RM15,000 for its women’s bureau.
It would normally take a two-and-half-hour speedboat journey to reach Rumah Jantai from Kapit town.
According to the longhouse chieftain TR Jantai Siba, the landslide struck on 22 Dec.
“This occurred after days of days of continuous heavy rainfall, which might have loosened the soil along the riverbank.
“It (landslide) struck very near to the longhouse — about 5m away from the concrete pathway, and it destroyed the new steel bridge linking us to the riverbank. This bridge was constructed under the RTP (Rural Transformation Programme).
“The landslide also swept away several ‘pondok’ (huts) in front of the longhouse — all stuff and machines that we stored there like outboard engines, fuel tanks and chainsaws, are gone.
“Still, we’re thankful that nobody was injured in the incident,” he said. — Borneo Post
