KLUANG: After more than 20 years without electricity, 19 Orang Asli families in Kampung Orang Asli Berasau, Kahang, near here, are overjoyed to start receiving solar energy under the "Sentuhan Harapan Mekar Johor@Kluang" programme, since yesterday.

Village chief, Tok Batin Sari Achu said he and more than 70 villagers are grateful to receive the power source.

Electricity has been much needed in this COVID-19 period for school and university learning online sessions.

"Due to the lack of electricity, children were unable to carry out their online studies. So we are truly grateful that online studies can go on now.

"Now that each of our homes have been lighted up, we can buy fridges and washing machines," he said at the Sentuhan Harapan Mekar Johor@Kluang programme, near here, on Thursday (Dec 2).

Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman R Vidyananthan was present at the event, organised by the Petronas Foundation in collaboration with Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia and the Johor Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA).

-- BERNAMA