Sarawak’s Assistant Public Health Minister Dr Jerip Susil had warned Bidayuh voters to beware of DAP’s ‘Impian Sarawak’ campaign as outlined in a news item entitled ‘Bidayuh warned to be wary of DAP’s ‘Impian Sarawak’ campaign’.

Jerip seems to be ignorant about the ‘Impian Sarawak’ programme.

Firstly, Jerip is not aware that this is NOT a 'campaign'. It is actually a rural outreach programme to give basic amenities to the rural people who have been neglected the past decades or since we formed Malaysia 50 years ago.

Secondly, Jerip is wrong to say that the funds for the ‘Impian Sarawak’ projects are from Selangor. The funds for the projects are NOT funded by the state of Selangor which is ruled by Pakatan Rakyat. The funds were raised in Selangor through a fund-raising programme and the funds were contributed by Malaysians from all corners of Malaysia, including Sarawak and Sabah.

Jerip should be aware that after 50 years of self-rule and with so much revenue generated from our natural resources all people, especially the rural poor in Sarawak and Sabah, should be provided with basic infrastructure and necessities like clean water supply.

Years ago the rural people enjoyed clean water from nearby streams, but in the past few decades the rivers and streams near their villages are polluted due to logging and plantation. One source of clean water is from mountain streams from nearby hills and mountains. Is Jerip not aware that hundreds of rural villages do not have clean water?

Indeed the government implement gravity feed water supply all these years but the phase of implementation has been very slow such that in 50 years they are still many without clean water.

I would like to pose a question to Jerip. Serian District was promised in early 2011, before the last state election, that 90 percent of the people of Serian would be enjoying treated water supply to their homes. It was not achieved.

In early 2012 a high-level team headed by a federal minister visited Serian and made a statement that 90 percent of the people of Serian would be enjoying treated water supply by that year. Is Jerip aware that till today, not even half of the villages in Serian are enjoying treated water supply?

I remember that when I was serving in a government ministry in 1980, there was a masterplan whereby there would be a huge reservoir in the Kedup area to supply water to all the villages. Is Jerip able to answer what happened to the project?

Just last week, I went to Kampong Sanggai which is less that 10km away from Serian and which does not have treated piped water supply. A gravity feed water supply system was provided to them but the dam can only hold water enough for consumption for a day or two. Most of the time their taps run dry.

The ‘Impian Sarawak’ projects are funded by contributions from the general public. They are implemented by volunteers from all over Malaysia. These volunteers sacrificed their time and effort to do something good for the rural people.

What they do should be appreciated and not criticised.

EDWARD ANDREW LUEAK is Serian branch DAP chairperson.