The impoverished family of rabies victims Monica and Jackson Mazlan are at last getting some much-needed help.
An education trust fund will be set up to help the remaining four siblings, aged two to 12, of the duo who succumbed to rabies infection on Tuesday.
The Sarawak government is also looking to building a new house for the grieving family, said Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik.
Ik Pahon led a delegation from DBNA to receive RM33,000 from Datin Amar Jumaani Tuanku Bujang, the Sarawak chief minister’s wife and president of the Sabati (Association of Wives of Ministers and Assistant Ministers of Sarawak) at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
The fund will be used to help the family of the late Monica, six, and Jackson, four, of Kampung Paon, Sungai Rimu, Serian.
The Star reported that Ik Pahon said, “DBNA has been entrusted to manage this and we are planning to set up an education trust fund for them.
“At the same time, we will work together with the government to build a new home for the family.”
He added he had discussed with deputy chief minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas on the proposed house, as well as the village chief on a proper site.
According to The Borneo Post, the state government as approved an amount of RM68,000 to build a house for the family under the Bantuan Rumah Rakyat Miskin programme.
The present dilapidated house that the family live in lacks a proper living room, kitchen and toilets.
He said DBNA would work together with local elected representative and the Education Department to help the siblings to do well in their studies.
“The eldest sibling is in Year 5. With the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination looming next year, it is critical to help the child succeed to enter Form 1. We hope to help this family uplift themselves from poverty,” Ik Pahon said.
The victims’ father, Mazlan Pujan, is an odd-job worker while their mother is a housewife.
Of the RM33,000 donation that was handed to DBNA, RM10,000 was contributed by the Petra Jaya Welfare Association which Jumaani also chairs.
Sabati contributed RM3,000, while the remaining RM20,000 was raised by several concerned individuals.
Part of the RM33,000 would be used to connect water and electricity supplies for the new house once completed as well as towards furnishing the interior.