SARIKEI: Residents of three remote longhouses in Julau now have reliable 24-hour power supply under the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares).
The commissioning was held at Rumah Jepun where Utilities (Rural Electrification) Assistant Minister Datuk Liwan Lagang officiated.
At the event, Lagang said Sares was part of the state government’s rural electrification master plan introduced in 2016.
“Since its introduction, hundreds of villages and thousands of households in our most remote areas have electricity, mostly solar generated,” he said, adding that the electrification master plan was an initiative to realise full electrification for Sarawak by 2025.
Lagang also presented certificates of ownership of the power system to the three longhouse chiefs.
Sares is designed to be sustainable in the long term and involves the community from the planning through to the implementation phase. After the projects are completed and implemented, the government continues to provide technical support and train the beneficiary communities on how to operate and maintain the system.
In thanking the state government, the headmen of Rumah Jepun, Rumah Japok and Rumah Sat said that the initiative had relieved them of the burden of purchasing fuel for their generator sets that they previously depended on.
Tuai Rumah Jepun Jamit said the fuel for the generator set was costly for the longhouse residents who are mostly farmers.
“We can feel the change now as we do not have to spend so much to buy fuel,” he said, adding that they now could use modern electrical appliances in their homes.
Tuai Rumah Japok Imang also echoed what Jamit said, adding that the new power meant they could easily organise community programmes and recreational activities.
“We are also able to store perishable food much longer in our refrigerators,” he said.
For Tuai Rumah Sat Andil, he appreciated the fact that the safety of his people was enhanced as they no longer depended on oil lamps and candles whenever they ran out of fuel for their generator.
He also reminded them to exercise care when using their electrical appliances and to ensure the internal wiring in their homes was correct and safely connected.
Villages located far from the grid will be provided with electricity supplied by Sares until the day they get connected to the main grid.
Also present at the ceremony were Meluan assemblyman, Rolland Duat Jubin; Julau District Office representative, Louis Yan Soon Gang; and Sarawak Energy’s vice president for rural electrification, Dr Chen Shiun.
