RURAL folk in Sarawak have alleged that some of them are being victimised, while there is also widespread favouritism by community chiefs with regard to the disbursement of government aid and financial allocations from the authorities.
Sarawak Pakatan Harapan information chief Senator Abun Sui Anyit today said these people claimed that certain community chieftains are playing politics with residents under their charge over the government aid.
Sui, who is also Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy chairman, said such unhealthy abuse of power by community chieftains must be stopped.
“It has come to our attention that many longhouse and village folk in Sarawak have complained of not getting the aid that had been allocated for them by the federal government.
“The federal government often disbursed aid to rural folk via specific programmes.
“The federal ministry in Putrajaya usually channels the allocations to the relevant Sarawak ministries for distribution to the rural population in longhouses and villages.
“However, there are community chiefs and leaders who deny certain residents the aid due and help only those who are in their camps.
“This form of treatment arose due to personal disputes and differences in political ideologies.
“Sarawak must put a stop to these unhealthy practices,” he said in a press statement.
Sui said the federal government often distributes aid to rural Sarawak either in monetary allocations for the repair of housing units or in specific aid such as food and materials in the event of natural disasters like floods.
“The latest monetary aid from Putrajaya that will be coming is the Madani monetary allocations of between RM50,000 to RM100,000 for the repair of homes in longhouses and villlages.
“This had been approved under Budget 2024.
“I hope the money will go to deserving folk in Sarawak and not end up in the hands of community chiefs who are playing politics,” he said.
Sui called on state government leaders to make sure such federal aid is not being misused by unscrupulous community chiefs.
There are some 6,000 longhouses and villages in rural Sarawak, with a population of about a million people. – The Vibes, November 27, 2023.
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