Monday August 24, 2009
Church sends out SOS over food crisis in Sarawak interior
By STEPHEN THEN
MIRI: The Catholic Church here has sent out an urgent appeal to the public to help little children and adults who are facing acute food shortage in the remote Kapit Division in central Sarawak.
The food shortage in the Kapit Division has worsened and the people have sent out another appeal for immediate help.
The Miri Catholic Church, which has received urgent appeal from the folks there, is urging parishioners and the public to help these people who are living from hand to mouth every day.
Notices are being prominently displayed in churches in the Miri Diocese, seeking a swift response from the people.
Desperately hungry: Penan children lining up for food in Kapit Division Sunday. Reverend Father Sylvester Ding, who is coordinating the aid collection, said food, such as rice, is depleted in places like the Lusong Laku Penan settlement and surrounding villages.
“The children are the most badly affected by the food shortage.
“We appeal to the public to donate to these rural people who are in need,” he said.
Father Ding said people could send their donations in kind to the Miri Carmelite Chapel, where he is serving, and he would arrange transport for the foodstuff to the needy areas as soon as possible.
Lusong Laku is located in the deep reaches of Kapit Division. The most accessible town is Bintulu, some eight hours away via a road used by timber lorries. The journey from Miri to Lusong Laku may take up to 11 hours or more.
Three weeks ago, The Star visited Lusong Laku with a group of Barisan Nasional MPs, and found there was still enough food in the area although there was a shortage of rice and water caused by drought and bad harvests.
The Welfare Department later deployed aid in the form of rice, dry food and drinking water.
However, the food shortage situation has deteriorated yet again and the folks there need urgent aid fast.
During the visit to Lusong Laku, The Star found that Penan children love to eat biscuits, cakes, fried noodles (not instant noodles), meat, fish and canned food.
They love to drink Milo, Horlicks, tea or coffee for their breakfast.
Ulu Rejang MP Datuk Billy Abit Joo had, on many occasions, appealed to big companies like timber and oil-palm plantations to help the needy in rural areas where they have on-going projects.
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