LAPOK: The state government is seriously considering to raise the loan ceiling for house electrification from Sesco under the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES) to RM1,200 from the present RM800.

Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Water Supply) Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran revealed this at the ‘meet the people’ session and presentation of 1Malaysia water tanks at Rumah Meran Surang, Loagan Bunut in Lapok sub-district yesterday.

“Applicants can choose to get RM800 or RM1,200 loan for the internal wiring of their homes, and the contractor will be appointed by Sesco,” he said.

He said this would allow more rural people to enjoy electricity.

On another matter, the Marudi assemblyman expressed disappointment over the accusation by Tuai Rumah Kalong Goh that he failed to deliver his promise for a brighter Christmas for Lapok and Ulu Teru longhouse folk.

“I have delivered on my part as the entire RES system was already energised and there is energy for all the consumers in the target longhouses before Christmas, but some longhouse chiefs failed to ensure that the internal wirings of the respective longhouses were already completed,” he said.

He pointed out that Kalong longhouse was just next to TR Abok’s longhouse which had electricity through the grid system and TR Henry Chaling’s longhouse was in darkness unlike the longhouses of TR Nyurat and TR Mathew Sigat which were lighted up though they were in the same area.

He advised leaders to get their facts right or risk being accused of misleading the public with falsehoods if they were ignorant of what was going on.

To SPDP leaders who attended the SPDP dialogue with SPDP Youth chief Robert Ayu and aspiring candidate Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, he said they should ask themselves why other longhouses in the same area had electricity and theirs did not have.

At the same time, Entri reminded the longhouse folk to be focussed on supporting BN in the coming state election, and said he welcomed financial assistance from any quarters to help them, regardless of party affiliation.

“If SPDP or anyone wants to give money, by all means take it as it for the benefit of the rakyat but keep our eyes peeled and remember to give a big mandate to BN and our Chief Minister in the state election,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Sarawak administrative officer (SAO) for Tinjar sub-district, Belayong Pok, said the civil service worked for the government of the day, including Entri as assistant minister.

He also called on community leaders to know their roles and responsibilities.

“It has crossed my mind that there were issues of leadership skills and quality for some chiefs, and the respective village development and security committee should be proactive and be with the government of the day,” he said.

The longhouse chief in his speech read out by a representative thanked Entri for the various development projects for the longhouse, including the rural electrification programme.

His views were shared by longhouse chiefs from Lapok and Ulu Teru who were happy that they were now able to enjoy uninterrupted power supply.

Also present were Pemanca Enggah Muga, councillors and longhouse chiefs in Tinjar and Ulu Teru.

Later, Entri presented RM30,000 to Rumah Meran’s Women’s Bureau for their building fund and RM3,000 each to other women’s bureaus in the area for their activities.