Manyin: Bidayuh must never say enough

Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said the Bidayuh community must never say ‘sadu-u’ or enough with what they have achieved so far.

He said the community still have a lot of catch-up work to do as they are still lagging behind in many aspects compare to other more progressive communities in the state and country.

This, he said makes it even more urgent and important for all the Bidayuh to continuously working together as a team, marching towards one direction of creating a progressive and successful Bidayuh community.

“This makes it even more urgent and important for the Bidayuh to continue supporting the Barisan Nasional government, the very goose which lays the golden eggs; the government that can help to uplift and further improve the livelihood and situation of the community,” said Manyin at the ‘Ngarum Udung Bidayuh’ (Bidayuh Forum Night) at the Bau Dewan Suarah in the evening of 26 February 2012.

He said the community acknowledged their differences as they came from different regions – Serian, Padawan, Penrissen, Bau and Lundu - and speak different dialects as well as of different religious denominations and different political parties.

“This is the Bidayuh, but we practice a common culture and it is this common culture that differentiates us from other communities.

“It is not the colour of our skin or our physical outlooks that differentiate us from the Iban, Malays, Melanaus or the Orang Ulu but it is our culture that differentiates us from them.

It is only our unity of purpose that makes us think Bidayuh.”

“We therefore bound together by our common culture and a single unity, that is the unity of purpose in wanting to see the entire community moving forward  together with the rest of the communities comes 2020.

“This is our common purpose and that is our common direction and we should keep it that way,” he added.

He further said whoever seeks to set one region against another seeks to segregate all the regions, whoever seeks to set one dialect against another seeks to insult all the dialects; whoever seeks to set one religious denomination against another seeks to disrespect all the religions; and whoever seeks to set one BN component party against another seeks to disunite the community.

He then advised the Bidayuh not to look at their differences, instead always talk about what they have in common, focus and work together as one community towards achieving the common goal and vision – to become a progressive and successful community together with the other communities come 2020 so as to be part of the high-income society.

“This should be the goal and vision of the Bidayuh community,” he said.

With all what the community have and who they are, or with the current situation of the Bidayuh community, Manyin pointed out that it was never easy to achieve such goals and vision.

“It was ever easy but if we are willing to continuously put our heads together and work together as we have been doing, I believe we are moving at the right direction and making a good start towards achieving our goal and vision.

“United a lot we can achieve, divided nothing we can do. What we have and what we are today are the direct results of our cohesiveness and unity of purpose. Let us continue this journey of unity of purpose,” he said.

Touching on human and intellectual capitals, which he said are also very important resources of any communities, Manyin said without them the communities will either progress very slow or will never progress at all.

To prepare the community to face the challenges of today and of the future, he said the Bidayuh must view education and skill training very seriously.

“We must view education as an investment for ourselves as well as for the community. It is only through education that our young generation will be able to equip themselves with the necessary knowledge and skill, and thereafter able to compete in the job markets,” he added.

Thus, he called on the Bidayuh to together speak with one frequency, loud and clear, emphasizing the very importance of education and skill training to all Bidayuh.

It is these education and skill training that will finally help to proper our community towards progress and upward mobility. “With them we will survive and thrive without them we will retard,” he said.

The Bidayuh he said must also be reminded that they have moved from a predominantly –rural-based community in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s to a semi-urban community today.

“Our needs and expectations have also changed accordingly when in the past our needs were very basic, that was the basic infrastructures and amenities and today most of these basics are already in place. “Our needs and expectation have moved to a higher level of hierarchy in term of better jobs, better housing, better standard of living and be at par with other communities,” he said.

These needs and expectations he said are more complex, more challenging and more difficult to achieve, but not impossible.

“If we continue to work together closely with the government of the day and put more emphasis on the importance of education and skill training, I believe the Bidayuh will be able to achieve them.

“Let us therefore ensure our young generation get the right education and training, and let us also continue to give our undivided support to BN government, the government that has made us what we are today.

“Let us practise what we preach and advocate – the concept of 1Bidayuh”.

Later Manyin also paid tribute to DBNA  for their untiring efforts, hard work and perseverance in finally getting the multi-purpose hall and the ‘baruk’ at DBNA headquarters built and completed, whgich has been the dreams of all Bidayuh since DBNA was founded in 1955.

He said these multi-purpose hall and the baruk certainly become the pride and identity of the entire Bidayuh community.

Manyin also commended DBNA for ftgheir efforts to diocemnbt the Bidayuhyh NCR lands,

He said up to date tyhery have completred more than 20 villages and the individual lots at Kampung Skuduk, padawan have been dully rectified and endorsed by Land and Survey Department and individual titles were issued under Section 18 of the Land Code on Feb 6 this year while perimeter survey for Kampung Pesa, Bau has been gazetted.

Hence, he urged DBNA keep going with the exercise, adding that the entire community are with them.

“Don’t listen to the critics, they will finally succumb to their criticism and come up to their senses at the end,” he concluded.

Also spoke at the function were Temenggong Datuk Stephen Jussem who expressed his gratitude and was delighted that the function was well attended.

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'Ngarum Udung Bidayuh' kick-off in Bau

The first of the three series of the ‘Ngarum Udung Bidayuh 2012’ or in English ‘Bidayuh Forum Night’ was successfully held at the Dewan Suarah Bau on February 26, which is seen by many as a series of campaigns to drum the Bidayuh supports for Barisan Nasional (BN) prelude to the 13^th Parliamentary election.

With the theme “United a lot we can achieve, divided nothing we can do”, the dinner was well attended with more than 1,000 guests and was also attended by all the three Bidayuh MPs and six State Assemblymen.

Beside Infrastructure and Communications Development Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin who delivered a speech at the gathering, others present were Foreign Deputy Minister Datuk Richard Riot Jaem, Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos, Deputy State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Assistant Minister of  Estate Development and Community Development Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, Public Health  Assistant Minister Dr Jerip Susil, MP for Mas Gading Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, State Assemblyman for Opar Ranum Mina, State Assemblyman for Kedup Martin Ben, Temenggong Datuk Stephen Jussem, Temenggong Robert Sulis and Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik.

The function was jointly organised by the Bidayuh community leaders led by  Temenggong Datuk Stephen Jussem and DBNA lead by Datuk Ik Pahon.

In his speech, Manyin who is also DBNA chief advisor in expressing gratitude and thanks to the organising committee said: “On behalf of all Ahli Yang Berhormat and the entire Bidayuh community, we wish to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to the organising committee, the ketua masyarakat lead by Temenggong Datuk Stephen Jussem and DBNA lead by its president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik.” 

Several Bidayuh had expressed unhappiness that for another time DBNA is being used as a political vehicle although Manyin himself had said that DBNA is a non political organisation and shouldn’t be used as political vehicle for any group or individual.

Manyin said it was the first time the Bidayuh community had such gathering,  adding it was one of the three series going to be held with the second gathering planned in Serian and the third series in Siburan.

He also called on the Bidayuh voters to maintain the current political status quo in the 13th general election – meaning that they should continue to ensure that BN candidate win in the three parliamentary seats in the Bidayuh area.

“To avoid any political split in the community, and to continue enjoying the benefits from the rapid development brought about by BN government, the Bidayuh therefore must rally behind BN and must vote for BN candidates during the coming 13^th Parliamentary election,” he said.

He later called on the Bidayuh to together make a pledge that the Bidayuh will continue to support BN and will vote for BN candidates during the coming parliamentary election.

“This is our pledge, the pledge we will fulfil. The names of candidates and where they come from are not relevant. What is relevant is that they are individuals whose hearts and minds are with the community, and they are BN candidates nominated by BN leadership.

“That is important and that is what all of us should look at while campaigning for the candidates and casting our votes during the election,” he said.

Saying that BN candidates won handsomely in all the six seats in the Bidayuh area during the last state election,  Manyin urged the Bidayuh voters to give the same support to BN  candidates in the three seats, namely Mas Gading, Serian and Mambong in the 13^th general election which expected it will be held this year.

Manyin also expressed gratitude to the past political and community leaders for their farsighted policy of getting the community working together and starting the journey towards creating a united Bidayuh community.

“Their policy of giving full co-operation with the government had brought a lot of changes and development to the Bidayuh community.

“We know their times were tough and very challenging but they had managed to lay the foundation for Bidayuh unity and bring them to be with the mainstream of development. Their efforts and hard work will ever be remembered by the community,” he said.

He said through BN government and the Bidayuh past and present farsighted leaders, within a relatively short period of time, the situation has changed tremendously.

In stark contrast with the situation in the 1950s, 60s and 70ps, he said almost all Bidayuh villages are accessible by roads, supplied with electricity through grid and water supply at least through gravity feed.

“We also enjoyed good education and health care facilities and telephone services. In another words, the Bidayuh already enjoyed the basic infrastructures and amenities which are required to enable them to accelerate their material progress,” he pointed out.

Manyin also mentioned that the Bidayuh has been given more appointments in the state cabinet and well as in the federal cabinet – two deputy ministers in the federal cabinet, one full minister and two assistant ministers in the state cabinet, and also a deputy speaker in the State Legislative Assembly.

He said so far this was the best political situation the Bidayuh has ever had, adding that it did not happen by chance.

This happened, according to Manyin because of the Bidayuh past and present farsighted political and community leaders who were able to bring the community together and working very closely with the government.

He said since 1999 all the six state seats and three parliamentary seats have been with BN and this clearly demonstrated that the majority of the Bidayuh are BN strong supporters.

“Thus, what we have today, whether it is in the form of appointments or physical development, it is a direct reciprocal reward, recognition and appreciation of our strong and continuous support for BN government,” he added.   

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