Family receives most
meaningful ‘Gawai gift’
Posted on
May 29, 2012, Tuesday By he Borneo Post
PRECIOUS
GAWAI GIFT: PMC chairman Lo Khere Chiang (front second left) hands over the
mock house key to Luis in front of the newly completed house during the simple
presentation ceremony yesterday.
KUCHING:
A family from Kampung Seratau at KM24 Kuching-Serian Road near here have no
words to describe their happiness as their Gawai gift this year is a house
worth RM43,000.
Housewife
Shalia Charles from Kampung Sinjok said since she was born 45 years ago she
grew up in a split bamboo and atap roof house.
After she
married Snless Luis Siup from Kampung Seratau, the couple and their son and
three daughters aged between 23 and 17 continued to stay in a similar house.
This was
because her husband was only doing odd-jobs while she was unemployed until she
managed to get a job as a cleaner at a supermarket in Kota Padawan recently.
In view
of their living standard, the family never dreamed of living in a decent
concrete house like others but now they have one as a Gawai present.
“A big
thank you to the government, through the urban poverty eradication programme
and the Padawan Municipal Council (PMC) for helping to construct the concrete
house at a cost of RM43,000.”
Luis said
the beautiful thing was the house was handed over to them just before the Gawai
Dayak celebration.
“We will
remember this Gawai gift from the government for the rest of our lives,” he
said.
Constructed
since March 14, the house with three bedrooms, bathroom, toilet, dining room
and kitchen, was completed a month later.
It was,
however, officially handed over to the family by PMC chairman Lo Khere Chiang
at a simple occasion witnessed by some of his councilors and Kampung Seratau
village headman and his committee members.
“This is
the most precious gift I have ever received throughout my life. It is most
meaningful to our family and I want to thank the government, from the bottom of
my heart, for helping us build our house.
“If not
with the government’s help we would still be living in our old house until this
very day. Like anyone else I also hope to have a decent home to live in but we
just can’t afford to. Every time I hope to strike lottery so that we can build
a new house but that also never comes true,” he said in jest.
Shalia
said she used to feel jealous whenever she saw neighbours or relatives moving into
their new concrete houses.
“So every
time I will pray to God that one day He will fulfill my wish of having a proper
house and my dream came true when the council advised me to apply for a housing
project under the urban poverty eradication programme. Our application was duly
approved,” she said.
The
family, whose household income was below RM720 per month, was among those
registered under e-kasih.
Other
criteria for hardcore poor families to be eligible for the housing scheme were
that the houses they were living in are dilapidated, rotting and unsafe to live
in.
They must
also own a piece of land and priority would be given to senior citizens or
those having more than five family members.
Written by Perry Ragam | 
