Julau longhouse chiefs to help conserve environment

2009/11/27

SARIKEI, Fri: The Julau parliamentary constituency's "Rakan Alam" committee will enlist the help of more than 400 longhouse chiefs and members of non-governmental organisations from the Julau and Pakan districts in its environmental conservation efforts. Its advisor Datuk Joseph Salang, who is Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister, said this was to ensure a more strategic and encompassing participation from the grassroots.

The committee would meet with some of the longhouse chiefs soon to brief them on their roles, he said.
"Our first priority is for the chiefs to advise their people not to treat rivers as dumping grounds.

"Then we want them to keep their compound clean and properly spruced up to deny disease-carrying mosquitoes their breeding places," he said after chairing the committee''s meeting in Julau, near here, last night.

Julau district officer Chumang Nyambung, who is also the first Iban woman district officer in the state, was appointed as the committee's chairperson.

Salang said despite countless of advice, there were still people dumping rubbish including animal carcasses into rivers.

"We also want farmers to stop chopping down trees on riverbanks as this can contribute to bank erosion," he said, adding that riverine folks should also stop using chemical to fish as this could wipe out river resources in no time. -- BERNAMA