This portal is set up to link up all the long-house communities in rural Sarawak to observe the socio-economic situation of the rural-based Iban-Dayak community.

Many families here earn a living by tapping rubber, cultivating pepper and farming vegetables. The communities face many challenges as a result of not having ready access to basic services and facilities, including piped water, electricity and telephone lines.

The surrounding infrastructure is under-developed, and the communities are located far from markets and social services.

The Janang long-house, in Sungai Wong, Wak, Pakan is located some 95 kilometres from Sibu town, and is home to nearly 130 residents. The nearest schools and health clinics for these residents are two kilometres away

The Jantan longhouse, in Genting Kopi, Pakan, is located some 70 kilometres from Sibu and houses 10 families. These villagers have to travel four kilometres to the nearest clinic and schools.

What we would like to see, as the Prime Minister has said in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, is the gap between the urban and rural communities narrowed.

We would like to see the Ibans continue living in this community way, but I would like to see them have electricity, the roads tarred, and the people having ready access to safe water

In 15 years from now, we would imagine almost all of the longhouses will have graduates, where some will be working in towns and overseas.

The Government is exploring the possibility of a pilot livelihood project among rural fishermen in the Pakan or Julau districts.