A NEW HOPE IN THE INTERIOR FOR MUMS AND CHILDREN

A Special Report By Edward Subeng Stephen

KAPIT (Sarawak, Malaysia), July 21 (Bernama) -- Like many of the Iban
mothers in the interior, Nawang anak Igoh, 31, has been putting up with her
child in a hut known in the Iban language as `langkau', far away from the rest
of her family.

Her langkau is among the few perched right on the hill beside the SK Nanga
Encheremin primary school near the notorious Pelagus rapid not far from Kapit.

It is a very simple structure and there are virtually no facilities.

During the day, the zinc roofing and poor ventilation make the occupants
sweat and during the night, it is dark with the occupants relying on the
paraffin lamp. The occupants have to collect rain water for their daily use and
there is no toilet facilities.

Despite the privations, Nawang persevered for the last two years for the
sake of her six-year old daughter Liana anak Jack's pre-school education.

The langkau is the temporary home for the mothers dedicated to their
children's pre-school education. The mothers have to accompany these children as
they are too young to stay on their own far away from home.

Iban is one of the ethnic groups in the east Malaysian state of Sarawak.


BETTER DAYS AHEAD FOR THE MOTHER

Yet the lack of proper facilities at the langkau made life difficult for the
mothers and the children.

The only consolation is that come each Friday, most return to the relative
comfort of their family home for the weekend and for Nawang it is the Rh.Puso
longhouse, that takes about five hours to reach by longboat or even longer
during the dry season.

Nawang was lucky as she had the company of her elder sister, Gagong, though
both stayed in their own langkau.

However, Agam anak Sagong, 50, who was sitting in for his wife when met by
reporters, lamented that he only gets to see his wife and their five-year old
son at their longhouse ( a communal living concept) in Nanga Baki once a month
when they return from their langkau.

Yet all that changed on July 13, when a `new langkau' known as `Rumah Arau'(
Arau House) was opened to house these mothers under one roof.

The Rumah Arau costing RM100,000 (US$31,250) looks similar to a longhouse
with `tanju'(open verandah) and the `ruai' (common sitting room) where all
occupants from the six rooms can get together.

Not only that, the occupants enjoy 14 hours of electricity, and a common
toilet and bathroom. It certainly provides a whole new experience compared with
what they underwent in the langkau.

A RECOGNITION TO DEDICATED MOTHERS

Rumah Arau is a temporary home for all these brave and dedicated mothers
and female guardians.

According to the SK Nanga Encheremin school headmaster Jee Sin Lian, there
are 25 pre-school students aged from five to six years in the school with 158
students.

"Of course at this tender age, they need their mothers to look after
them. They are too young to stay at the dormitory.

"The distance, risk and transportation cost to their longhouses
are among the other factors that made the mothers stay put with their children.

"We have identified 14 mothers, grandmothers and female guardians. Two or
three mothers or guardians will occupy each room. We only charge them RM2
(US$0.62) per month for general maintenance.

"The mothers or guardians will eat their own food but the school will
provide food for their children attending the pre-school," she told reporters
who visited the Rumah Arau recently.

RUMAH ARAU ANOTHER 1MALAYSIA EFFORT

Jee pointed out that the idea for the Rumah Arau came about when the late
Deputy Education Minister Ismail Razali visited a few rural schools in the
Kapit Division in 2007.

"He felt sad when he saw the state of the langkau and its occupants. On his
return, he made a recommendation for special assistance from the government to
provide a conducive accommodation for the parents," she said.

Prime Minister Najib Razak, true to his 1Malaysia concept, agreed to help
through the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a wholly owned government
company. Najib is also the chairman of 1MBD board of trustees.

MORE RUMAH ARAU IN THE PIPELINE

According to 1MBD's Director Dennis See Thuan Buan, some 11 Rumah Arau have
been proposed in Sarawak. The Nanga Encheremin is the pilot project. The second
one is in Lusong Laku, a Penan settlement deep in the interior of the Belaga
district.

He said Najib would announce a few more of the Rumah Arau during his visit
to the state on Thursday.

Meanwhile, mothers in similar predicament like Nawang and Gagong have
nothing but praises for the government for putting some comfort into their lives
now.

"We definitely would not want to endure all these hardships and privations
if not for the sake of our children's education.

"Our new accommodation provides better security, more comfort. We can watch
television. We would like to thank the prime minister for not forgetting those
living deep in the interiors," said Gagong.

However, there are requests from the parents for the government to consider
building a proper jetty for the safety and convenience of everyone at the
school.

"During wet season, we have to walk knee deep in mud to reach our boats
berthed in the river. There are others from nearby longhouses too who want the
government to consider giving special fuel subsidy to help them send and fetch
their children from school daily," added Jawan anak Jana, the assistant
headmaster.
-- BERNAMA