| Azaraimy HH |
A FAMILY of eight living in a secluded quarry area in Kampong Selangan, Temburong District, is hoping for some Hari Raya cheer this year, including a decent place to stay.
For the past 12 years, Muhammad Amirul Afendi bin Abdullah and his family have been living in a makeshift hut without any electricity, piped water and proper toilet facilities.
The area is accessible by only one dirt road running through a patch of jungle, which the children must cross to go to school.
The family’s limited income is mainly derived from their small farm. But ever since Muhammad Amirul Afendi broke both of his legs in an accident, his wife has become the sole breadwinner, selling vegetables and fruits at Pekan Bangar.
Their eldest daughter, 19, is currently looking for a job. A former National Service Programme (PKBN) participant, she attempted to enlist for a career in the military, but was rejected for being underweight.
The family’s plight came under the notice of Dayangku Noratul Ain, who recently travelled with her friends to donate basic essentials to several impoverished families in the Temburong District.
She learned that the family had been granted a monthly allowance of BND700 by the government, which was then cut down to BND300.
Several years ago, the government also provided them with an electrical generator that has since been broken.
Dayangku Noratul Ain and her friends managed to raise enough funds to buy a new generator for the family. They hope to raise yet more money to buy a new water tank to replace the family’s old, non-insulated one.
Currently, the family is looking for a place to stay.
They once applied for residence at an empty barrack housing area in Pekan Bangar, but were told that the building is deemed unsafe to live in. Dayangku Noratul Ain is appealing to relevant authorities to provide them with assistance.