Pandalela brings pride to the nation

KUCHING: Olympic silver medalist Pandelela Rinong deserved due recognition for her achievements at the Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore.

Only one medal was expected from Pandelela but that Sarawak’s diving sensation delivered two silver medals for Malaysia in her campaign in Singapore.

The Bidayuh lass who took the silver in the girls’ 10m platform on Saturday won a bonus medal of the same colour in 3m springboard event on Monday evening.

She finished second behind China’s Liu Jiao in both events, competed at the Tao Payuh summing complex in Singapore.

Incentives are awaiting Pandelela and Sarawak’s Social Development and  Urbanisation Minister Dato Sri William Mawan said the State will not make Pandelela’s achievements unnoticed.

Mawan said since she is now the pride of Malaysia she will be accorded due recognition including some cash incentives.

Pandela became the first Malaysia woman to win Olympic medal.

On Monday she added another silver medal to her collection at the meet when she finished second in the 3 metre  springboard collecting a total of 444.15 points after making four jumps.

Earlier on Sunday she collected her first silver medal in the 10m platform event with a total of 453.35 points, just 25.25 points behind China’s Liu Jaio.

Pandelela’s achievements has brought cheers to Malaysians especially Sarawakians.

“Bidayuh are very proud of Pandelela. We in DBNA and all Bidayuh community praise her with pride for carrying the Bidayuh spirit to represent the country.

“We honour her contribution as the  Malaysian woman to win silver medal at Olympic Games, said a DBNA exco member Joseph Jindy.

Katanya, the Bidayuh athletic from kampung Jugan, Bau should be given due recognition by the government for their excellent achievements in sports and to spur her do perform better in future competition including the Commonwealth Game in New Dehli in October .

After the Youth Olympic Games Pandelela will fly to Kunming China for intensive training as her preparation to compete in New Delhi.

DBNA’s president Ik Pahon Joyik said Pandelela’s achievements has made the Bidayuh and Malaysians very proud.

“We in DBNA and the Bidayuh community are very proud of her achievements which should inspire our youths to excel in all fields,” said Pahon.

Pahon said DBNA will make her “Ambassador For Youth” to inspire the others to emulate her success.

She will be invited to talk at the Youth Workshop organised by DBNA next month.

“She will share with the participants (youths) how she struggle in life to achieve what she is today.

On the incentives for Pandelela, the Parmanent Secretary to the Ministry of Social and Urbanisation said DBNA will think of long term incentives for her to succeed in her career.

He said before this DBNA has given two incentives to Pandelela.

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Bidayuh leaders should help, says Minos

KUCHING: The Bidayuh leaders must step in and help to solve the issue surrounding the Bengoh Dam resettlement programme, said former Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) Dato’ Peter Minos.

Minos who is now the Bung Bratak Cultural and Heritage Association believed if the relevant dam agencies give the four villages the right compensations for their abandoned land, houses and other properties the affected villagers would move to the new resettlement site.

He said the government should also provide them with houses and basic facilities and utilities at the new site and also jobs for incomes.

Minos said the Bidayuhs affected pose no problem at all but they only feel worried and unhappy with the compensation and were unsure whether the promises will be fulfilled by the authorities concerned.

“They naturally act as they do but treat the bidayuhs well, talk to them, meet them and reason things out, they can and will be good partners in development, as they do in SALCRA land development,” said Minos.

He pointed out the problem was some people did not really meet and talk with the villagers and just try to impose and dictate that where and when problem arise.

“Once problem crop up, it needs some good meeting and talking. The bidayuh leaders must step in and help out and see how the villagers can meet and talk with the relevant agencies and others,” he added.

The Star recently reported that most of the villagers from the four affected villages has refused to move to the new resettlement, demanding the government to full compensation on their land, houses, fruit trees and other properties.

They also demanded the government to provide them with free houses at the resettlement site if they are forced to move down.

So far the government has only compensated their houses and lands that are filled by the dam’s water, but not their farm lands and their NCR lands.

Thus, the affected 359 villages demanded the government to pay everything to them before they move out to the resettlement area in  Kampung Semadang.

Constructiuon works on the RM310 million Bengoh Dam project began in August 2007 and is set to be fully completed in December this year despite a slight delay.

Coordinator for the Bengoh Dam Resettlement Committee, Pemanca Austin Dimin had told The Star there are few unsettled matters which need to be addressed.

He said it was true that the affected people wanted all their land to be compensated including those land which are not filled with the dam’s water.

He said a total of 1,600 people from the four villages – Kampung Taba Sait, Kampung Rejoi, Kampung Bojong and Kampung Semban were affected by the project.

There are 155 families who are now squatting in their parent’s house and had demanded the government give them a free house at the resettlement area if they need to move there.

Dimin said 204 units of houses costing RM48,000 each unit will be built at the resettlement to be purchased by the resettlers.

He said the government is now looking into the social aspect of the affected residents as there was no social aspect studies conducted prior to the implementation of the project.

The Bengoh Dam project uses the latest technology, which has been popularly used around the world, with the construction involved roller compacted concrete (RCC) technology, which is much faster and stronger than conventional methods.


The production of raw water from the Bengoh Dam is anticipated to meet the increasing demand of the city and greater Kuching and Samarahan area until 2030.


Once completed, the dam would store about 144.1 million cubic metres of water, hence increasing the daily raw water production at the Batu Kitang treatment plant from 786 to 2047 mega litres per day (MLD).


Presently the reservoir at Batu Kitang, which provides most of the domestic and industrial water supply in Kuching, only has a capacity of 786 MLD while the current demand for water in Kuching alone is 635 MLD.


The concern now was to complete the resettlement programme involving 359 families affected by the project.
The building of roads that link Kampung Semadang and the resettlement area began early this year, and is about 70 percent completed.
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