PAITAN: The St Nicholas Hostel here had since its completion in 2017 been a beacon of hope for countless poor students who needed to stay close to SMK Simpangan which they depended on for their education – thanks to Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) as part of its community service initiatives that cost RM492,500.
It even survived the worst flooding in Kampung Sulit early this year but it took just two candles to reduce it to ashes at 2am on the eve of Easter Sunday.
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Two girls who returned to the empty hostel early as most had gone back to their homes were afraid of the dark and lit candles before falling asleep.
The 80ft by 30ft hostel was the preferred accommodation for up to 80 students compared to the government one which was cramped and limited in capacity.
Daily Express can reveal that the facility would still be standing today had successive state governments since 2005 heeded countless pleas for electricity supply to the village that has more than 300 residents.
“To this day, there is still no indication that supply will be installed anytime soon. However, the villagers do have water supply,” said Sister Dorothy Laudi, caretaker of the hostel who started with a kindergarten first in 2005. She said solar lights would be ideal but there were no donors.
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“The villagers also lack generators. The only generator became a casualty when the floods struck recently. It was submerged and rendered completely unusable,” she said.
The fire highlighted the challenges faced by rural communities who because there’s no electricity are forced to rely on candles and risk tragic consequences.
“It was just unfortunate that I had to be in KK when it happened. Since other students had gone back to their villages, only the two girls were there.
“They were scared and lit candles before falling asleep,” Sister Dorothy said. Fortunately they were not hurt as villagers were quickly alerted and brought the two girls to safety.
“I believe more new students will require accommodation,” she said particularly those from remote villages with limited facilities.
This was the reason it was established to provided accommodation for underprivileged rural children.
Meanwhile, a villager who requested anonymity said they believed that, rightly or wrongly, they had been ignored by successive assemblymen because they were of a different faith.
“How else can you explain why we have not been as lucky as the villagers across the river who have been enjoying electricity all these years?
“We hope that the Chief Minister can instruct the present assemblyman who is aware of our problem as he had been serving the constituency since Barisan Nasional government to make sure that we finally have access to electricity as our basic human right.
“I also hope Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar visit our village next time to know for himself that there are villages like ours who have been sidelined all this while,” he said.
He said there are also several other villages having no access to electricity with the total number of residents numbering well into a thousand.
WISH TO DONATE?
SISTER Dorothy said donations from the community placed at the venue also went up in smoke together with the beds, kitchen equipment and other facilities. She said rebuilding hostel of similar size (80 feet long and 30 feet wide) would require significant funding and construction material prices have risen sharply, making the challenge even greater.
She appealed urgently to the community and the government to help rebuild a replacement hostel for poor students and that this time the hope for electricity would materialise.
Those who wish to donate may contribute to FSIC Needy Children Education Fund: Maybank, Account No. 510143082167.
