Repairing Rumah Hijau

RESIDENTS in 70 homes at Rumah Hijau longhouses in Mak Mandin, Butterworth, can now look forward to having better roofs over their heads.

This is because work to repair the homes has already started with a RM140,000 allocation from the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister’s Department.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the allocation for the project during his official visit to the Bagan parliamentary constituency on June 16.

The repair works will be carried out by two NGOs — Pertubuhan Islam Komuniti Bagan and Gerakan Belia 4B Malaysia Butterworth branch.

Two cheques for RM100,000 and RM40,000 were handed over to the two bodies respectively by state development officer Datuk Nik Ali Mat Yunus at a simple ceremony held at the Rumah Hijau housing area.

Also present were Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua, Sungai Puyu Barisan coordinator Sum Yoo Keong, Rumah Hijau Mak Mandin Residents Association chairman Sim Seang Kwang and Pertubuhan Islam Komuniti Bagan representative Abd Hamid Ibrahim.

Happy moment: Nik Ali (left), NGO representatives and Rumah Hijau residents rejoicing during the handing over of cheques worth RM140,000 to start repair work on the squatter houses in Mak Mandin, Butterworth, Penang

Nik Ali in his speech said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak attended six meet the people sessions in Penang between 2011 and this year, while his deputy attended 29 similar programmes and approved RM39.1mil for various projects.

Among the projects was the Rumah Hijau repair works, he added.

He said the repair works were expected to be completed before the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri celebrations.

Nik Ali also praised Chua for his commitment in helping the rakyat in the Bagan constituency.

Helping out: Bagan Barisan Nasional coordinator David Chua (on ladder), Penang ICU’s development officer Datuk Nik Ali Mat Yunus (second left), Rumah Hijau Mak Mandin Residents Association chairman Sim Seang Kwang (left) and Rumah Hijau residents laying new roofing sheets on the roof of a longhouse

Chua in his speech said that priority in repairing the houses would be given to Muslims in view of the Hari Raya festivity.

“I hope the others will be patient for their houses to be repaired,” he said.

He said he spoke to Muhyiddin about the pathetic condition of the Rumah Hijau houses during the DPM’s visit to Bagan and the deputy premier immediately approved the sum of RM140,000 for the repair works.

Chua also urged the Penang Government to expedite the documentation for the low-cost flat to be built for the Rumah Hijau residents.

“Once the documents are ready, we can draw up the plan to built the units and the residents can be expected to move in three years from now, he added. – The Star/Metro North