KUCHING, June 2: The Ministry of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development will take necessary actions to solve the housing problem faced by a paku-midin (wild fern) seller and his family who are living in poverty.
Rombli Jusni and wife Fauziah Razak, who have eight children and four grandchildren, are curring staying on a piece of land belonging to a surau in Taman Won, in Matang here. The house they live in currently is in poor condition and unsafe for occupation.
Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, who visited the family today, emphasised the need to seriously look into their living condition as well as the welfare of their schoolgoing child and grandchildren.
“I was made to understand that this land belongs to a surau. But the family is also assisted by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) who is helping to build a decent house for them.
“As such, we can assist them, for example through the state government’s house repair assistance scheme which provides a maximum of RM15,000,” she told reporters today.
A group, led by Mohd Sepian Abang Daud, is helping Rombli and his family to build a house through their ‘Helping Unfortunate Groups and Society’ project which has thus far collected donations amounting to about RM15,000.
The family’s new house is being built at Samariang in stages according to the funds that are raised.
Fatimah welcomed capable individuals, NGOs and the private sector to work together and collaborate with her ministry and the state government as a team to ensure no one in Sarawak will live in poverty.
“The issue of wellbeing of the people is a shared responsibility. All sectors can work together and complement each other for the benefit of those in need in our community,” she said.
Most importantly, she added, compiling profiles of villages, housing areas or longhouses is very important to provide information that will enable the state government to take action and provide the much needed assistance.
“The state government wants those who deserve assistance being given adequate help and support.
“Each village, or housing area or longhouse must have a complete profile with information about the number of households, heads of households, condition of houses, education of children and even their economic status,” she highlighted.
Fatimah also expressed concern and emphasised that focus should also be given to the needs and education of Rombli’s youngest child who is in Form Two and the couple’s four school-going grandchildren.
“We hope the child and grandchildren will not lag behind in their studies. We are making arrangement so that this coming Saturday, we will bring their child and grandchildren to buy school uniforms and other stationery and materials,” she added.
Meanwhile, Rombli, 63, is not a welfare aid recipient even though he had submitted applications in 2018.
However, Fatimah explained that the couple will receive the monthly elderly aid of RM300 beginning July. — DayakDaily
