DBNA to search talents among Bidayuh youth

THE Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) will

create a unit that will play a role in the search for talents among the Bidayuh youths.
Its president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik said the setting up of the unit was necessary as the association feels that there are plenty of talents among the young people that they can be unearth and nutured.
"We have seen many Bidayuh potential in his singing and acting, but some of them are already doing successful in Kuala Lumpur.
"Therefore, we in DBNA will try to do our part to showcase the talents we have," he said at a dinner hosted by the chairman of Bung Bratak Heritage Association Datuk Peter Minos to celebrate Lovina Ricky Guing who emerged the champion in a reality programme "Pilih Kasih 2 " at a hotel in Kuching yesterday night.
Pahon said, the success of the Lovina is a manifestation that the Bidayuh can also do it.
He said the Bidayuh although a small group but are talented in all fields and able to contribute to national development in various fields.
On Lovina’s success in the reality programme organised by TV2, Pahon said the Bidayuh community as a whole was very proud of her achievements.
"DBNA and the Bidayuh community is very proud of your success as the most sparkling stars among the star that shines," said Pahon.
Pahon who is also the permanent secretary of Ministry of Social Development and Tourism advised Lovina to be diligent in her pursuit and ambition.
"You need to be persevere in facing all the obstacles because there is no shortcut for the path to success in life," he said.
Pahon also borrowed Confuses words: "travel thousands of miles begins with a walk."
He also reminded Livonia that she is now a public figure and that she is a role model to the other Bidayuh teens.
Towards that Pahon has invited her to give a talk at the coming DBNA Youth Seminar to be held on March 12 at the newly completed DBNA multi-purpose hall at Jalan Kumpang here.
Meanwhile, Minos in his speech expressed a sense of pride to the success of Lovina and hoped it would be an example to other Bidayuh teenagers.
“Your achievement has made the community very proud of you because you have worked very hard to become the champion of the reality show and I really hope that more Bidayuh will also excel in any other fields,” he said.
Minos also called on the Bidayuh community and several Bidayuh association to show appreciation to any of the who excelled in various fields.
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Livonia brings pride to the Bidayuhs

By ROBERT KENNETH

JOINING it just for fun, Livonia Ricky Guing never

knew that she was actually a champion quality until she won the recent reality show “Pilih Kasih 2” organized by TV2.
“A university friend of mine suggested that we go for the audition for the reality show. At first I was reluctant but after being persuaded we decided to go and it was held at the Boulevard Shopping Mall in Kuching.
"So many participants came to the audition and at that time I did not have the confidence that I will be selected among 16 participants from all over the country to join the show," said Livonia.
Livonia is the only participant selected from Sarawak.
After being informed by the organisers that she was selected to participate in the reality show, Livonia became anxious but fear of being scolded by their father.
"I did not tell my father anything about the audition because I knew he wouldn’t like it.
"However, I braved myself to tell him that I was selected to participate in the show and I was called to Kuala Lumpur.
"Then my father became confused on whether to let me go or not, but finally he gave me the green light to proceed with my intentions and I went to Kuala Lumpur on 28 November last year," he said.
She said that during the first episode she have confident in herself that she could proceed to the next episodes, but in the 10th episode she became worried because she was in the third placing from the bottom.
"Fortunately in that week Rosyam Nor, our principal decided not to eliminate any one of us and I was in the final competition," she said.
Saying she did not expect to win title in the final, Lovina said she only gave her best presentation.
"I was just happy to be in the final, title was not important for me but thanks God I won the title and it was my best birthday present,” said Livona who celebrated her birthday a day before the final show.
She defeated six other contestants with judging based on 50 percent marks from the professional judges and another 50 percent votes came from short message service (SMS).
The teaching staff involved in the reality show were Erma Fatima as the theatre director, Hamzah Tahir the monologue director and Aziz M. Osman as the drama director.
Livonia started acting when she joined the theater club in her university.
She is expected to sign a contract with a film productions company owned by well know film director Erma Fartima.
According to Livonia, the contract signing ceremony will take place in Lagend Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on March 4.
In addition, Livonia is also expected to sign a contract to act in a 13 series musical drama to be produced by Suhan Movies owns by another popular actor and director Rosyam Nor in collaboration with RTM.
The 20 year-old Bidayuh lass from Kampung Giam at Jalan Puncak Borneo said she hoped to follow the foot step of two successful Bidayuh actors – Tony Eusoff from Siburan and Zack from Kampung Bunuk.
However, this second year students majoring in tourism and hospitality at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Kota Samarahan here said she will still continue with her studies.
The third of five siblings, Lovina said she would try to manage his time between acting and learning, and believe she would be able to manage it.
According to Livonia, for the time being she is taking the semester off since December last year and will be back to continue her studies in July.
Lovina said she would try to apply to continue her studies at UiTM Shah Alam to enable her to venture into acting and at the same time continuing her studies.
She was also Miss Borneo Heritage in 2009.
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Be smart and practical, Bidayuh told

A Bidayuh community leader has advised

Bidayuh voters in Bengoh and Tarat constituencies to be practical and make smart decision in the coming State election.
Pemanca Austin Dimin (Bidayuh Pemanca for Kuching Division) gave his advice in response to call made by the opposition to change the people representatives in the two Bidayuh majority seats.
“Who will give the Bidayuh the development we need if we choose to accept the opposition to become our representative?” asked Dimin.
He said the Bidayuh should’t follow the Chinese way of politics as the community are already rich and are residing in the town areas where all the facilities are already made available for them.
“We must think of those poor people who are staying in the villages,” he said.
Dimin also said the need for the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) to change the incumbent Dr Jerip with new face should not arise at all.
He said both Dr Jerip and Roland Sagah,who is the incumbents for Tarat constituency are capable representatives and has delivered effective services to the rakyat.
Dimin was of the opinion that new candidates may not be able to serve the people effectively unlike Dr Jerip and Roland who already have their foundation and had effectively served the rakyat.
“If BN decides to field new candidates then there will be no continuity and they will have to start all over again unlike Dr Jerip and Sagah who are already well verse of the people needs and issues in their respective constituency,” said Dimin.
Hence Dimin strongly advised SUPP leadership to retain Dr Jerip Susil in Bengoh seat, adding they shouldn’t be blind folded to accept new candidate.
He also advised the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leadership to retain Roland in Tarat.
“SUPP must field Dr Jerip. If not the party leadership have to think twice because who is the better candidate rather than Dr Jerip.
“In the last four years he has done a very good job,” added Dimin.
Dimin also urged the party leadership be supportive of the requests from their representatives in the Bidayuh areas.
On the voting trend in Bengoh and Tarat, Dimin believed the Chinese voters will split but wouldn’t be too bad among the Bidayuh voters.
Dr Jerip he said however will have to work extra hard to convince the voters as there are several issues in his constituency need to be tackled including the NCR land, Bengoh Dam and logging activities in Krongkong.
Meanwhile Willie Mongin, a computer consultant working with a multi-national firm in Kuala Lumpur, and is from Kampung Bratan along Jalan Puncak Borneo and Peter Ato, a former defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (SPDP) Supreme Council Member who hailed from Padawan has expressed in the open their intention to contest in Bengoh and Tarat respectively under Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) banner.
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