Elssey Lessianna wins first Dayung Sangon title

Elssey Lessianna Richard (C) was crowned as the winner
of the  Inaugural Dayung Sangon 2014 at the finale
held at the Dayak Bidayuh National Association
multi-purpose hall  

KUCHING: 23-year-old student and part-time model Elssey Lessianna Richard eclipsed the competition when she was adjudged fairest of them all at the inaugural Dayung Sangon 2014 (Bidayuh beauty contest) on May 10, 2014.

Using poise and personality to her advantage, Elssey left 11 other contestants trailing behind at the event held in the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) multi-purpose hall here last night.

The beauty from Kampung Pichin, Serian received RM3,000, a trophy and hampers from Nestle Products.

The first runner-up was Jacqualine Ayong, 20, a university student from Kampung Simpok, Padawan while administration clerk Iesha Bezzant, 23, of Kampung Taiee, Serian took the third prize.

Jacqualine and Iesha received RM2,000 and RM1,000, respectively, besides trophies and hampers.

The respective wives of state infrastructure and communications minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin and assistant public health minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil crowned the winners.

Nine consolation winners each received RM300 cash and hampers from Nestle Products. A total of 41 contestants participated in the preliminary round but only 12 were chosen for the final.

Manyin, who is DBNA chief advisor graced the event which was held in conjunction with this year's Gawai festival.

Besides the beauty contest, guests were also entertained to cultural performances by the Kampung Semban cultural troupe from Penrissen, and the cultural troupes of Biatah, Serian and Bau.

Themed 'Cultures in Diversity', the beauty pageant hopes to bring the various Bidayuh groups from Kuching, Bau, Serian, Lundu, Penrissen and the Padawan areas to demonstrate the uniqueness of each group via its costumes, language and even food.

"This competition is an important platform for the participants to groom their personality and build up their confidence and become ambassadors for the Bidayuh," said DBNA president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik.

He said plans were underway to make the cultural activity an annual affair for inclusion in the state's tourism calendar. 

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Mawan to head TERAS originally formed to fight him

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom (pic) who is facing votes of no confidence from his Supreme Council members has quit the party to join the newly-formed Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (TERAS) which was originally formed by a group of ex-SPDP leaders who he expelled to finish off his political career.

Joing him is Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) former assistant secretary-general Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh who also quit the party.

Others are Baram Member of Parliament, Anyie Ngau and eight SPDP assemblymen - Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, Rosey Yunus and Paulus Palu Gumbang.

Three assemblymen from SUPP also followed Soon Koh's move. They are Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Johnicol Rayong (Engkilili).

An opposition assemblyman, George Lagong of the Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) also joined in TERAS.

Expecting to join them are Mas Gading MP Anthony Nogeh of SPDP, State Assemblyman Datuk Lee Khim Shin and Francis Hardin who are both from SUPP. Another SUPP MP Datuk Sri Richard Riot Jaem will hold a press conference today to announce his direction.

In a hastily-called press conference here yesterday, Mawan, who is also a senior minister in the State Cabinet and Member of Parliament for Saratok, said he quit because he had been "elbowed out" from SPDP.

Mawan, who had been the SPDP president since its formation in November 2002, said several leaders in the party were against the recent reinstatement of the membership of Entri, Nansian, Rosey and Paulus.

"The reason I brought them back was to strengthen the party with the common desire to serve and consolidate Barisan Nasional," he said.

He said his decision to quit should not be likened to a captain abandoning his ship but more to being a victim of mutiny.

"(As a captain) I have been thrown overboard," he said.

Mawan said they would apply to become a Barisan Nasional (BN) component party and believed Sarawak Chief Minister and State BN chairman, Tan Sri Adenan Satem, would have a formula to accept them even if there was resistance from SPDP or SUPP.

Meanwhile, Soon Koh, who had been at loggerheads with SUPP president Tan Sri Peter Chin, said he decided to quit SUPP after finding out that there was nothing forthcoming from the peace plan for the party
proposed by the BN top leadership.

"Because of the breakdown in the peace plan, we don't want to keep quarrelling and are tired of the squabblings, we have to go," he said.

Adenan, meanwhile, told reporters that he would comment on the matter after listening to the views of all those involved.

"I will let them have their say first and I will give my comments at an appropriate time," he said.

SPDP was founded in the wake of the de-registration of the Sarawak National Party in November 2002.

Meanwhile Teras was set up to accomodate the five dissenting and once partyless leaders – better known as G5 – who were expelled from SPDP by Mawan in 2011 for insubordination.
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12 beauties vying for the Dayung Sangon title

KUCHING: The judges are expected to have hard time in making their decision on who should be this year's Dayung Sangon (Bidayuh Beauty Pageant) as all the 12 finalists has the beautiful look.

"All of them are beautiful and I believe the highly integellent one will be picked to win the title," said Alvine Ling, a member of the organising committee.

The finalists are Elssey Lessiana Richard, Sandy Dominic, Iesha Dominic, Jesseni Lewi, Alvey John, Andrea Natalia Jaed, Dolly Charles Saches, Madelina Lija, Donna Sikanok, Elviana Temit, Jacqueline Ayong and
Bellynie Johnek @ Ayong.

They were picked from 41 contenders in the preliminary round held at Eastern Mall Supermarket, Siburan on May 26.

One of the three judges at the preliminary round Charlie Unggang said they had a difficult task in choosing the 12 finalists, but was quick to say that those were the best top 12 who deserved to enter the final round.

"I wish them all the best in the final and I believe the penal of judges will also have their difficult time in choosing the top three winners as they are all beautiful," said Charlie.

The finale will be held on May 10 at the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) multi-purpose hall here, starting at 6.30 pm.

The organising committte in the last meeting chaired by DBNA president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik has agreed to raise the amount of prizes for the nine consolation prize winners from RM200 each to RM300.
There will be nine consolation prize winners.

The "Dayung Sangon" will walk away with RM3,000 cash prize while the first and second runner-up will receive RM2,000 and RM1,000 besides  trophies and hampers respectively.

The inaugural state level Dayung Sangon 2014 showcasing the unique and diverse Bidayuh groups in Sarawak is organised by DBNA in conjunction with this year's Gawai festival.

With the theme "Cultures In Diversity", the beauty pageant hopes to bring the various Bidayuhs groups from Kuching, Bau, Serian, Lundu, Penrissen dan Padawan area to demonstrate the uniqueness of each group
through its costume, language and even food.

This competition is an important platform for the participants to groom their personality and build their confidence and become the ambassadors for the Bidayuh.

There was plan to make this cultural activity an annual affair to be included in the state's tourism calender.

(Left side, from top to bottom: Donna Sikanok, Bellynie Johnek @ Ajong, Elssey Lessiana Richard, Iesha Bezzani, Jessenie Lewi and Sandy Dominic.

(Right side, from top to bottom: Alvey John, Andrea Natalia Jaed, Dolly Charles Saches, Elviana Tenit, Jacqueline Ayong and Madelina Lija.

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