The exterior of one of the houses.
AFTER decades of living in a dilapidated house, a family of 22 finally has proper housing in Kampung Seduan Jaya, Sibu in Sarawak thanks to the Fire and Rescue Department.
With funds from Nangka assemblyman Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee’s service centre, fire and rescue personnel built two houses on the family’s land at a cost of RM85,000.
It took nine firefighters from Sibu Sentral, Sungai Merah, Bintangor, Kanowit and Sibujaya stations 63 days to build the houses.
Naturally, the two units are equipped with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
Mock keys were presented by Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Khirudin Drahman @ Hussaini and Dr Annuar to Mastura Jahan and her mother, Imah Man.
Imah (left) and Mastura with the mock keys to the houses.
Mastura, 54, said she was grateful that her family, which includes her children and grandchildren, now had a well-constructed roof over their heads.
“My old dilapidated house was often affected by flash floods, with water reaching up to my knees, especially during the rainy season.
“During the floods, animals such as scorpions and snakes used to enter our house,” she said.
She said she had been yearning to rebuild her house but had been unable to because of a lack of funds.
Imah, 70, was also grateful to the parties involved in the project and said she was delighted that the house was completed right before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
“We had looking for help for so long. Now I can stay in this house with eight of my family members, who are my children and grandchildren.
“I am happy that we can celebrate Raya in our new house,” she added.
Khirudin said his department had built 12 houses in Sarawak to date, under its “Jiwa Murni Project” which started in 2017.
“Of the 12 houses, four are in Kuching and the rest in Miri, Bintulu and Sibu.
With the exception of the two new houses, the projects were funded by Local Government Development Ministry.
Khirudin said the department was able to build the two houses in Sibu because of an allocation from the Nangka service centre and authorisation to mobilise staff.
He added that the Fire and Rescue Department would always be ready to support any project that would benefit the community.
