DARO: The nearly 15-year wait for residents of Pulau Bruit to own their own homes has finally ended with the implementation of the Semop Fishermen Resettlement Programme (PSN), delivering significant benefits to the local community.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and UKAS), Datuk Abdullah Saidol, said the programme is especially meaningful for fishermen who previously depended heavily on staying with family members.
“They have long hoped to own homes near their source of livelihood, as most of them are full-time fishermen.
“Alhamdulillah, the PSN area is still close to where they earn their living,” he said when officiating the handover of house keys to 233 recipients here on Friday.
He explained that recipients only need to take out a loan of RM35,000 from the total cost of RM75,000, with the remainder subsidised by the government.
Abdullah said the establishment of the new settlement has also spurred the implementation of several development projects, including a farmers’ market, a food court, and a community hall for residents’ use.
He added that a connecting road between the settlement and the school has also been built to ensure students’ safety.
He said that the development of PSN Semop marks the first step towards building a small town on Pulau Bruit, which has long needed an economic centre.
He said most residents are full-time fishermen, whose main products – such as smoked ‘lumik’ fish, dried prawns and others – are well known throughout Sarawak.
He added that the area also has strong agricultural potential, with 500 to 600 hectares identified as suitable for paddy cultivation.
