SIBU: The reconstruction of the Tutus Rumah Rebah longhouse in the Bawang Assan area here has officially commenced on Friday after it was razed by fire.
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Bawang Assan Branch’s chairman, Cr Kevin Lau Kor Jie, said that construction work has started and is expected to be completed within one year.
During a site visit with his team on Friday, he observed that foundation works has begun.
He and his team also held detailed discussions with the longhouse chief, Rebah Sembilan, and the residents regarding the structural layout and arrangement of each unit once the rebuilding is completed.
Lau informed that seven out of 13 doors of the longhouse were severely damaged in the fire that occurred in mid-February 2024.
Following the incident, his team assisted the affected residents in applying for housing reconstruction assistance from the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee.
“The reconstruction application has been approved, and the seven families of the longhouse have received assistance to rebuild their homes,” he said.
He explained that his team assisted to gather the necessary documents by working closely with Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee, whereby the application was then forwarded to the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee for approval.
After the application was approved, the project was handed over to the Public Works Department for design planning and the subsequent construction works.
Lau also expressed his appreciation to the various agencies that assisted throughout the application process.
He noted that during the preparation of the application documents, good cooperation was received from the Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee and several government agencies, including the Fire and Rescue Department, the Royal Malaysia Police, and the Civil Defence Force, which provided the necessary reports that ultimately helped ensure the successful completion of the disaster relief and reconstruction application.
