30 houses identified for phase two of house repair aid programme 

KUCHING: A committee set up under the House Repair for the Poor programme has identified 30 poor households in the Batu Kitang constituency for phase two of the programme which will start after the Hari Raya celebration.
The houses are located in Kpg Betong, Kpg Sandong, Kpg Tematu, Kpg Semeba, Kpg Bukit Panchor and villages around Jalan Batu Kitang area which were not covered in the first phase of the programme which was implemented in the first quarter of this year.
Batu Kitang  assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang said in a statement on Thursday the committee was assisted by village heads in identifying the families in need of the aid which is funded by the Sarawak government under its minor rural projects.
The recipients of the aid are registered under e-Kasih and are households under the Bottom 40 (B40) group.
The house repair works with a budget of more than RM15,000 are carried out by contractors on gotong-royong basis.
“This project under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government to assist the poor is the brain child of the Chief Minister.
“It is aimed at speeding the implementation of MRP projects to benefit the people, especially the poor households who need a proper and safe shelter,” Lo said.
Under the first phase of the programme, 35 houses in Batu Kitang area were repaired.
On Friday, Lo who is also the Padawan Municipal Council chairman, handed over houses repaired under the programme to four families in Kampung Bumbok.
The heads of the households were Ani Anak Nois, Peet Ak Jotem, Beer Anak Katut and Puan Kumeh Anak Lojap.