The federal government has agreed in principle to write off the remaining housing loan of about RM41 million owed by some 1,500 families who were relocated following the implementation of the Bakun hydroelectric dam in Belaga.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said the villagers, who are now occupying the Sungai Asap resettlement scheme, had a strong basis to be given such assistance.

Speaking at a meet-the-people session at the Uma Belor longhouse at the scheme, he said the villagers had sacrificed their ancestral land, allowing the Bakun project to go on after it was halted between 1997 and 1998.

He said the villagers had yet to enjoy the benefit from the project, with most of them were without a fixed income.

"We sympathised with them and will identify suitable measures to carry out the assistance," he said.

Earlier, Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said the total loan was RM82 million and that the state government had agreed to absorb half of it.

RM22 mil worth of projects

Najib also welcome the Taib's proposal to expand the agricultural zones around the settlement as part of the measures to increase the people's income.

The prime minister also announced a RM22 million allocation to implement projects to connect the settlement scheme to the state's main power grid.

He also presented a cheque of RM1.14 million to the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a seed capital to fund the industrial training for 3,300 Dayak youths.

Najib also presented a RM900,000 contribution from the 1Malaysia Development Bhd for the construction of the "Rumah Arau" for nine schools in Belaga, and financial assistance to 150 students from poor families in the area.

- Bernama

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