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MORE than 20,000 native people uprooted by the construction of the RM15 billion Bakun Dam in Belaga district in Sarawak will finally get a fire station – after enduring 25 years of unfulfilled promises.
The Federal Government recently approved RM8.4 million to build the fire station, thanks to efforts by Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy chairman Senator Abun Sui Anyit.
Sui had raised the plight of the Bakun resettled folks who live in the Sungai Asap Resettlement Scheme 50 km from Bakun Dam to Parliament.
Today, he received a reply from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Local Government that Sungai Asap will soon see the construction of the new station.
"RM8.4 million has been approved for the Sungai Asap Fire and Rescue Station and construction will begin soon.
"The project will be completed next year," he told reporters here.
Sui, who is also Sarawak Pakatan Harapan information chief, said the Unity Government in Putrajaya swiftly approved the project after he raised the matter in the Senate.
Sui, a native rights lawyer, is from the Belaga district.
He today thanked the federal leaders for giving priority to the plight of Bakun folks.
The Bakun folks were forced to move out of the Bakun valley 25 years ago to make way for the dam when the state and federal governments were under Barisan Nasional.
Since then, there have been dozens of fire outbreaks including numerous devastating ones that destroyed the resettlement longhouses built by the state government 25 years ago.
The Sungai Asap fire station was one of the many promises made by the BN to the uprooted Bakun folks that were not fulfilled.
The nearest fire station to Bakun is in Belaga town, located 60 km away.
The resettlement longhouses built by the state government for the uprooted Bakun folks were made out of wooden materials and are in bad shape now. – The Vibes, May 21, 2024.