Villagers still not heard of free housing at BDRS

Residents of the four villages affected by the RM310 million Bengoh Dam are still hopeful that they will be given free houses at the Bengoh Dam Resettlement Scheme (BDRS) although there has been no confirmation with regards to the matter.

On Saturday (March 10, 2012), during the ground breaking ceremony of the Rumah Mesra Rakyat housing project at BDRS, there was no official announcement made that the affected 204 families will get the house free.

Second Minister of Resource Planning and  Environment, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan did not mention anything that the houses will be given free to them.

When reporters asked him after he performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the housing project, Awang Tengah said there was no decision made on the matter as yet.

“There was no decision made yet on the matter (free house) because our main focus now is to build the 204 units of houses and the other necessary infrastructures,” he said.

Prior to this, 204 families from four villages, namely Kampung Taba Sait, Kampung Rejoi, Kampung Pa'in/ Bojong and Kampung Semban were hoping to be given free houses in BDRS and were waiting to hear the good news from the minister last Saturday.

However, after what they heard on Saturday, it appears that they are less convinced now that they will get the houses for free.

The construction of 204 housing units with a total cost of RM19 million at BDRS, located in Radien, Penrissen will start this month and is expected to be completed by December this year.

According to the Assistant Minister of Housing, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the houses would be implemented by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), through its contractor Naim Engineering Sdn Bhd.

Awang Tengah said the money is from the state government and is hoping that the federal government will reimburse the amount to the state government.

Each unit  is going to be built on a  24-point plot of land and equipped with three bedrooms.

A total of 204 families should have moved to the resettlement scheme in 2010 but was delayed due to the housing problems.

The affected villagers demanded that they be given free houses at the new resettlement schemes after they refused the offer by the Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) to build a house for them at a price of RM89, 000 per unit.

They rejected the offer because they do not want to burden themselves with bank loans.

Chairman of the liaisons committee on the resettlement, Itodio Peu said as the affected residents were forced to move out from their respective village, so it is just fair they are given free houses at the new settlement.

Villagers have urged Mambong MP, who is also Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos to fulfil his promises to help them to get the free home.

Peu when met at the ground breaking ceremony on Saturday said the villagers from the four villages would not move to BDRS until their demands are fulfil by the government.

The villagers had demanded they be given free houses, their land, crops and properties are fully compensated.

Peu also disagreed with the suggestion by the minister that primary school pupils from the four villages be moved and study at SK Bengoh,.

“The idea will only burden the pupils but also their parents.  The authority should build the schools and the necessary facilities such as community halls and churches first at BDRS before asking us to move to the resettlement scheme," he said.

He said, as a result of the implementation of the Bengoh Dam, 90 percent of crops such as rubber, cocoa, pepper and fruit trees owned by the villagers of Kampung Taba Sait was destroyed to make way for the dam construction.

According to Peu, the government has not paid compensations for their other properties such as  houses, land and crops not flooded by the dam’s water.

Peu said, apart from not receiving compensations, the villagers has also so far has not received monthly financial support as promised to them.

"We were promised payment of disturbance allowance but so far no payment has been made to us," he said.


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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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Mount Siburan the ancestral village of the Biatah

Kampung Sungai Duuh with Mount Siburan as the background

KAMPUNG Sentah on top of the 1,090 feet Mount Siburan, also known as Bung Siburan is the ancestral village of the Bidayuh Biatah clan.

It is the oldest village in Siburan and has been in existence for 630 years.

In order to access the village, most of the visitors will park their car at the foot of the mountain and walk up the mountain which takes approximately 40 minutes (for the new visitors) and about 15 minutes drive.

From Kampung Sentah, visitors have to climb 201 small steps to reach the top of the mountain where a ceremonial house ‘panggah’ and a-five-room longhouse used for the homestay programme is situated.

Beautiful surrounding at the homestay on top of Mout Siburan.

According to the origin of Biatah group, most of them are actually originated from Kampung Sentah.

According to Kampung Sentah headman Nomina Benyi, majority if the villages had moved down from the village and established new settlements, which the first group moved down in 1830 to establish Kampung Quop, than followed by other groups who established their new settlements in Siburan area, namely Kampung Sungai Duuh, Kampung Misaan, Kampung Sinjok, Kampung Tijirak, Kampung Seratau and Kampung Primas is the latest.

On top of the mountain is a ‘panggah’ (ceremonial house) and a building resembled the ancient longhouse with five living rooms, a common ‘awah’ and the ‘tanju’. Each room has a fire place and a washing area called ‘pawad’.

201 steps to the homestay.

Owned by Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Kebudayaan Siburan Asal (JKKSA), the place was built 20 years, and now functions as homestay to cater for visitors and tourists wishing to spend their times in the village.

State Assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Roland Sagah is the advisor and Pemanca Austin Dimin is the chairman of the 23 years old committee .

According to Pemanca Dimin, the ‘panggah’ and the longhouse was built at the cost of RM20,000.

Concrete house in Kampung Sentah.

Dimin said the place has been frequently visited by local and foreign tourists.

At the top of the mountain and its surrounding are found several ‘ayak’ which produce clean spring water.

Dimin said the homestay need bigger water tank to collect the spring water which can be flowed to the homestay.

He said the committee had submitted the proposal to MPP for the construction of the proposed water tank two years ago but no response received from the local council so far. “We need water supply, better toilet and shower rooms for the homestay,” said Dimin.

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos who made a visit to the homestay last Saturday approved the amount of RM50,000 for the purpose – RM20,000 for building a small dam to provide water to the homestay and RM30,000 to upgrade the homestay.

Nowadays, the 42 families in Kampung Sentah are living in a single house after the last longhouse of eight doors was pulled down more than 20 years ago.

The longhouse at the top of Mount Siburan.

Nomina said road to the village was constructed in 1981. Before that there was only footpaths going up the mountain.

The school in the village has also been closed down due to low enrolment, and the primary school pupils from the village have to go down to study at SK Batu Siburan near Siburan bazaar.

However it was only in April last year that the village, which could be reached in 40 minutes by foot and 15 minutes by car from Siburan Bazaar had electricity.

In view of the rich history of the village, Nomina hoped that the government would upgrade the facilities in the village – building better road and the provide fund for tourism-related activities to improve the livelihood of the residents.

He said the village is frequently visited by tourists, who put up at the homestay and are charged RM60 pert night per room.

Guests gathering at the common area 'awah'.

If they take up the whole longhouse with five rooms they would have to pay RM200 per night and for the usage of the ‘panggah’ they would be charged RM150.

”The water supply to the homestay should be resolved immediately,” he said.

There are few folklore and tales about Mount Siburan or locally known as Tebung Siburan.

One of it was about a couple involving in prohibited love affair as they have family relationship, and as the result the ‘raban’ had occurred - thunder storm hit Mount Siburan and the couple turned to stones and are called “Batu Teyok”.

Another folklore was about their heroes – the best known were two ‘panglima’ (chieftains) who were the defenders of the mountain folk – Bai Taje and Bai Mayon. They were said to have supernatural powers and could fly and had defended Mount Siburan and its people from head hunters attacks.

The other interesting places to visit is the Tang Teruma at the foot of the mountain which is said to be the best cave in Kuching Duvision.

The 'abuh' - a fire place in one of the longhouse room.

Dimin said he was told by a cave expert who had entered the cave, that it was the best cave found in Kuching Division.

However no local people dare to enter the cave as the old believe says that the cave is haunted and it will close when someone entered it and other frightening stories.

According to Dimin, there was one incident when a local man entered the cave and he ended coming out from the cave near to SMK Siburan where he was rescued.

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Datuk Dr James Dawos (4th left),
Datuk Roland Sagah (3rd left), Pemanca Austin Dimin
(2nd left), Wilson Sipilak (5th left) and Douglas Jipau
(extreme left) during their visit to Mount. Siburan

Hence Dimin suggested that a study be conducted in the cave to know what is inside the cave. Sagah also suggested that more tourism products to be developed in the village to attract more tourists to the village. Meanwhile a study has also been conducted on the potential of Kampung Sentah and Mount Siburan to be developed as tourist spot. The consultant, Ranjen Sangum proposed several infrastructural facilities to be developed there, among them better road to the top the mountain. He suggested the erecting of an arch at the foot of the mountain, ample parking space, signages along the road to the mountain and within the vicinity of the mountain, historical information of the area. He also suggested that the ‘ayak’ be properly developed as it would become an attraction to tourists because of its spring water.

Green rain forest with matured tress at
Mount Siburan.

The other proposal was to build a scenic deck for visitors to view Siburan town and the surrounding area.

He also proposed that the ‘rumah guna’ to be rebuilt to store the ‘batu guna’ which is of cultural value.

“There shouldn’t be any burning activities and cutting of trees in the area to protect the forest and its habitants,” said Ranjen.

He also proposed a mini heritage museum and a mini amphitheatre for events and festivals.

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Constituents unhappy over Manyin's statement

A group of villagers from five villages in Tebedu, Sarawak, Malaysia today expressed their unhappiness over the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications Datuk Sri Michael Manyin’s statement.

They alleged that Manyin had on Tuesday accused the villagers of Kampung Temung and Kampung Tepoi of being anti-development.

“His (Manyin) also implies that as a result of our supposedly anti-development stance, other villages in Tebedu district are now unfairly deprived of access to treated pipe-in water,” said Papai Anak Apin, 49, who read the statement at a press conference here yesterday.

Papai said Manyin made reference to an instance where villagers from the villages stopped surveyors from the Land & Survey Departments from carrying out surveying works on a piece of kampung’s land where a water booster pump was supposed to be sited.

“We are extremely unhappy with the statement from Manyin, in which he painted us as a group of people who resist development mindlessly and in the process, deprived not just people in our own village but also folks of the other villagers of the much needed treated pipe-in water,” he said.

Papin said Manyin’s statement is malicious and in bad faith, crafted to make out himself as a victim of irrational behaviour and selfish attitude on their part.

He said as the statement was carried in several newspaper and substantial circulation in the state, their names and reputation has been unjustly maligned.

“We find it most unbecoming of Datuk Seri Michael Manyin, who is not just a state minister but an acknowledged leader of stature among the Bidayuhs, to run down his very own community that he was given the responsibility to protect and to nurture.

“We want to clearly state that it has never been our intention to knowingly deprive any party of much needed development projects by resisting such projects without just cause,” said Papin.

He said the villagers of Kampung Temung and Kampung Tepoi were and still is embroiled in bitter dispute with a timber company that was given the rights to log, not only the virgin forest near our villages but also the land in which we claimed native customary rights.

The case is pending resolution in the court.

Papin said that they have been told that the timber company concerned is partly owned by a state-run foundation.

He said as full minister Manyin should have full knowledge of the dispute as he was one of the several parties from whom they sought help and assistance in the matter.

Papin also claimed that Manyin did not make any serious attempts to address their grievances.

The police, he said are also fully aware of the situation as police reports were made, not only by the villagers but also by other parties involved in the dispute.

“We the villagers of Kampung Temung and Kampung Tepoi consider the dispute as unresolved and because of that we will not permit any kind of land-based activity to take place in our villagers without our consent and agreement until our grievances are resolved to our full satisfaction.

“We now demand that Datuk Sri Michael Manyin to immediately apologise to the Bidayuh community in Kampung Temung and Kampung Tepoi, failing which we will seriously consider taking legal action against him as he has slandered us and tarnished our names and reputation,” stressed Papai.

He said they were grateful to the leaders of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) who have actively assisted them  in their efforts to reclaim their rights over the disputed land. 

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Who are the Biperoh?

By ROBERT KENNETH
THE Biperoh clan, which is one of the 20 clans of the Bidayuh community, resides in eight villages along Borneo Highlands Road in Penrissen, about 32km from Kuching.

According to unofficial estimates, there are more than 10,000 Biperoh in these villages.

Other clans include Salako, Lara, Jagoi, Singgai, Biperoh, Biatah, Pinyowah, Bengoh, Bianah, Bukar, Sadong, Krokong, Bilo’ih, Bunuk, Pinyowah, Braang and Tibiak.

According to legend, the Biperoh tribe comprises descendents of Segum Seberi, the son of M’buk Rubuh, who originated from Sungkong (S’kung) in Kalimantan, Indonesia, but lived in Rabak Mikabuh as a war fugitive and a refugee.

Mbuk Rubuh later married a gentleman from Rabak Mikabuh and gave birth to six children — Segum Seberi (Biperoh), Ma Bari (Bengoh), Sabu Pagunja (Bunuk), Serum Domanan (went over to Bumbok in Bau), Jaya Janum (Pinyowah) and Seju Berung (Braang).

The name of M’buk Rubuh’s husband is now lost into oblivion, but of his ancestry, it is known that he was a direct descendant of Tinnabi (the first man of Rabak Mikabuh) and Trauh (a wanderer from across the sea who dwelled for a brief period at Rabak Mikabuh among the descendants of Tinabi after a great flood).

In his article published in a book in conjunction with the launch of the Biperoh Association, Kuching, Hamarah Mapus, a Biperoh from Kampung Semadang, wrote that according to some old Biperoh informants in the olden days, the Biperoh had to claim they originated from S’kung because of security reasons. Those days were called the Bisoron or bloody days — the days of head-hunting and blood-spilling. The Biperoh needed a stronger tribe from the Kalimantan side. By claiming that they were from S’kung, the Biperoh were assured of protection by the Biskung (people from S’kung) and eney attacks.

From other stories told by some Biperoh elders, they are actually the direct descendents of Tinnabi, Tirauh and of course the woman from S’kung named M’buk Rubuh. Historian Dr Chang Pat Foh in his book entitled History of Bidayuh in Kuching Division, Sarawak, wrote that the man responsible for establishing the whole of the present Biperoh tribe was Segum Seberi, the eldest son of M’buk Rubuh. Therefore, the Biperoh could rightly claim that they were the descendent of M’buk Rubuh.

Chang said the Biperoh first moved from Rabak Mikabuh and then to Sebayat. The settlement was big with 60 families. The Sebayat village was said to be the headquarters of the Biperoh then.

Sir Hugh Low, the colonial secretary of Labuan who visited Sebayat in 1845, said the longhouse was finely built with the panggah or baruk (the head house used to store the skulls of enemies killed in battle) built in front of it.

At the later stage, migration started due to factors such as limited space for extension of the settlement, occurrence of diseases and frequent attacks by the marauding Skrang Ibans.

Three groups left Sebayat to establish new settlements in Bung Kom, Bung Tabak and Bung Sepit.

The present eight Biperoh villages are the result of further migration of settlers moving to Kampung Boyan which they later abandoned to establish Kampung Giam.

Today, Kampung Giam is split into Giam Amba and Giam Bauh. Some settlers from Bung Kom, who did not move to Kampung Boyan settled in Tebawang Git. The present Kampung Git and Kampung Grait/Nyiru are the result of the resettlement from Tembawang Git. The settlers from Bung Tabak moved to Tanjung Garung and Tanjung Semadang. Those who moved to Tanjung Garung established a new village called Kampung Garung and those who moved to Tanjung Semadang built a new village called Kampung Semadang. Kampung Emperoh Jambu is an offshoot of Kampung Garung as six families led by Mejar left Kampung Garung and moved to a river called Sungai Pangga in the Padawan area. Initially they called the new settlement Kampung Tebon and later changed it to its present name, Kampung Emperoh Jambu. Kampung Karu is the result of the migration of settlers from Bung Tabak and Bung Sepit.


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"Tourism Gawai" di Kampung Annah Rais 3 September

Rumah Panjang Annah Rais menjadi tumpuan pelancong asing.

Rumah Panjang Kampung Annah Rais di Padawan, 65 km dari pusat Bandar raya Kuching akan menjadi tuan rumah perayaan Gawai Dayak peringkat negeri anjuran Pelancongan Malaysia (Sarawak) dan Kementerian Pelancongan dan Warisan Sarawak.

Pengerusi penganjurnya, Edward Kurik berkata, perayaan yang yang lebih dikenali dengan nama “Gawai Pelancongan” itu akan berlangsung pada 3 September depan bertujuan untuk mempromosi kebudayaan dan tradisi masyarakat Bidayuh di kawasan Padawan.

Menurut Kurik, festival itu memberi peluang kepada pelancongan mengenali keunikan kebudayaan kaum Bidayuh serta tarian dan permainan tradisi mereka.

“Banyak kebudayaan dan tradisi kaum Bidayuh yang boleh para pelancong pelajari di festival itu nanti,” kata Kurik.

Agensi yang turut terbabit dalam penganjuran festival itu ialah Majlis Perbandaran Padawan (MPP) dan Jawatankuasa Pembangunan dan Keselamatan Kampung Annah Rais.

Kurik berkata, program pertukaran kebudayaan akan turut diadakan apabila penduduk Kampung Annah Rais  menerima kunjungan tetamu mereka dari Kampung Semban.

“Kumpulan kebudayaan Kampung Semban akan turut bersama untuk mempersembahkan keunikan kebudayaan mereka yang sedikit perbezaan dengan kebudayaan penduduk Kampung Annah Rais.

Kurik berkata, persembahan kebudayaan akan diadakan pada sebelah petang sementara konsert oleh artis-artis tempatan akan berlangsung pada sebalah malam, 3 September.

Katanya, festival itu akan dirasmikan oleh Timbalan Menteri Pelancongan Malaysia, Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit dan akan turut dihadiri semua wakil rakyat kaum Bidayuh.

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DAP and PKR women against Obedient Wives Club

SEX lessons to help wives “serve their husbands better than a first-class prostitute” will be among the courses provided by the Obedient Wives Club (OWC) to help promote harmonious marriages and counter social ills.

Its vice president Dr Rohaya Mohamad was quoted as saying sexual prowess took a front seat in marriage beyond the traditional “good mother or good cook” roles.

“A good or religious wife is also sexually good in bed,” she told reporters after the launch of the club's Malaysian chapter at the Perangsang Templer Golf Club in Rawang on June 4.

In Kuching the club had its soft opening two weeks at the MJC Batu Kawah New Township, which has received strong criticism from the DAP and PKR Women’s Wings.

Batu Kawah Assemblywoman Christina Chiew at a joint press conference with the PKR Women’s Wing slammed the formation of the club here and regarded it as degrading the women status in the society.

She said the formation of the club will not help to solve marriage problem as such problems could only be solve between husband and wife.

Thus, they urged women in Kuching not to support the cub so that the club could die naturally.

“Sex is not the main reason that caused divorce but it can also happen due to financial problem and lack of responsibility on the part of the spouses,” she explained.

Meanwhile Nurhanim Dato Haji Mokshen said the establishment of the club will provide the opportunity for husbands to blame their wives.

“Huband and wife plays equal roles and sex is not everything in marriage,” she said, adding that religious play a very important roles in marriage.

Thus, Nurhanim also urged all other women’s bodies to oppose the formation of the club.

Dr Rohaya, who was a medical doctor for 15 years in the Health Ministry before taking a leadership role in the club had said that a husband who was kept happy in the bedroom would have no reason to stray or seek out prostitutes or indulge in other social vices,

She also believed that social ills like prostitution, domestic violence, human trafficking and abandoned babies are problems stemmed from unfulfilled sexual needs at home.

The club would also offer counselling and lecture sessions for wives, husbands or couples.

The Malaysian chapter had around 800 members while its Jordan chapter had 200, with the Indonesian chapter was launched on June 19 in Jakarta.

OWC and the Polygamy Club was formed by Global Ikhwan Sdn Bhd, an organization founded by former members of the banned Al-Arqam Islamic group.
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Should prostitution be legalised?

Legalised prostitution cannot deter rape and cannot justified married man to go for prostitution too, says a local female 

lawyer who is very much against the legalization of prostitution in the country.

Voon (second from the right) expressing her points. 

Seen on  her left is Christine Liew the State Assembly 

Women for Batu Kawah and PKR Sarawak Women's Chief 

Nurhanim Dato Haji Mokshen    

Voon Shiak Ni even posed the question on ‘whether prostitution should be legalised’ in her face book to get comments from members of the public.

She made a comment in response to her lawyer colleague who had during his mitigation for a case involving prostitution had mentioned that prostitution should be legalised and that legalisation can deter rape.

“Within 24 hours there are about 30 suggestions and comments in writing and some called up. I also discussed the matter 

with friends and some other lawyers.

“Most people objected to the legalisation of the trade of flesh as it will cause more social ills, family problems and the spread of sexual diseases at home,” she added.

Voon said of course there are some who said might as well legalise it since prostitution is already in our society and cannot be wipe out and make it mandatory for prostitutes to go for medical check-up.

 “But who can ensure the medical check-up regulation can be observed strictly and by the time the problem is detected, sexual disease might had spread to many,” she said.

Voon said she attended a course on “How to curb AIDS” under a United Nation Development Plan to help Malaysia curb the spread of AIDS and during the their workshop they came to the conclusion that AIDS actually spread from home.

“Sexual diseases spread silently and before you know it had passed to those with you,” she added.

She said legalising prostitution will definitely give rise to more demand and this will also lead to women and child trafficking, while legalisation of prostitution is directly a conformation what women are sex objects.

Hence, it will not eradicate illegal prostitution but continue to mushroom the trade, she added.

She said it will also cause violence against women and child prostitution will increase as well as causing marriage and family problems.

“Morally it is not encouraged too and legalising it actually degrade women and our society has to understand that no women would love to be prostitute if there are better choice in life.

“Furthermore, prostitutes are mostly controlled by pimps and many went through abuse and humiliation beyond anyone’s imagination, and some could be beaten up, drugged and even forced to serve a lot of customers and suffered under sadistic customers too.

“No women would want to be humiliated in any way and our society should be encourage to respect women because we love our mothers, wives, daughters and sisters,” she stressed.

Voon pointed out that there was research to support the contention by legalizing prostitution can deter rape.

She said that rape is more about power over weaker sex and not about having sex.

“It’s a form of violence over women and we don’t believe legalization prostitution can stop rape.

“And to give a fair comment to all men, men looking for sex will not necessarily go to the extent to rape and harm a girl,” she added.

She further stressed that legalised prostitution cannot deter rape and cannot justified married man to go for prostitution too.

“We cannot be encouraging young people to seek sex when they should be studying and building their careers,” she concluded.

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Bidayuh Cultural and Food Festival is back

The popular Bidayuh Cultural and Food Festival 2011 will be held at Kampung Bidayuh Taman Tunku, Miri on August 27.

The Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) Miri Branch chairman Captain Bernard Idit said among the food and delicacies on sale at the festival are ‘pangkang’ (glutinous rice in bamboo), ’assam’ (chicken rice in bamboo) and ‘tiribuh’ or 

‘pansuh’ (bamboo chicken/fish) and ‘tuak’ (rice wine) just to name a few.

“Also on sale will be various handicrafts such as ‘lubok’ (rattan basket) and sun hat which are synonymous with the different Bidayuh areas and villages in the predominantly Bidayuh areas in Kuching and Samarahan Divisions,” he said.

Bernard said the annual festival will show case Bidayuh culture, traditions, arts, handicrafts, heritage and delicacies.

Booths will be set up to sell various Bidayuh delicacies and cultural items, he added.

Coupons priced at RM10 per book are on sale and can be obtained from Rojo Cornas (013-8334277), caroline Siburat (013-8398439) or Francis Menden (019-8845454). Fellow Bidayuh who intend to operate the boots can call any of the organizing committee for the details.

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Gawai Nyobang at Kampung Gumbang

LOCAL people and foreign tourists flocked to Kampung Gumbang, a remote Bidayuh village situated on top of a low mountain in the Bau district on June 3 and 4 to watch a demising Bidayuh skull festival called ‘Gawai Nyobang’ or the ‘Gawai Mukah’ it is called in the Bidayuh Biatah dialect. 

The ‘Gawai Nyobang’ or ‘Gawai Mukah is a skull bathing festival practised by the Bidayuh pagans.

For the young generation of the Bidayuhs it was an event that they should come to see and experience as it was once their ancestor’s authentic culture.

The Bidayuhs in Indonsia still observed the festival but christianity and the modern Bidayuhs in Sarawak has forgotten the culture.

Last year the festival was held in Sebujit village in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

For the festival in Kampung Gumbang recently, it was also joined by a group coming from Sebujit village.

The villagers related that ‘Gawai Nyobang’ started in the village way back in the 70’s when there was an outbreak of a mysterious sickness in the village which claimed some 40 lives.

As there was no medical facility available and poor accessibility, many of the unfortunate villagers who contacted what seemed to be a skin disease, turned out to be a killer disease.

They related about how difficult it was when there was no good road to reach Bau for medication. 

"The skin rotted and the patients died just within a few days. Even the doctors did not know what the disease was," they recalled with a sorrowful expression on their faces.

Two of village’s chief Keelim anak Nilam’s daughters aged five and sixth then were among the victims of the killer disease.

Then the Ketua Adat (custodian of the old customs) claimed that it could be the work of evil spirits, so he suggested that a Gawai Mukah (Skulls Festival) needed to be held to appease the spirits.

As the village did not have any skull, the villagers had to go across the border to the Indonesian villages to look for human skulls. They went there not to go for head hunting but to seek skulls.

They managed to buy five old skulls from the Indonesian villagers and then a grand Skull Festival was held in the Baruk Tiguon (head’s house) which was situated at the highest point in the village.

It was later observed that after the ritual, the mysterious sickness was miraculously gone and never occurred in the village again.

To ensure that such a dreadful event will never happen again, the skulls were placed permanently in the baruk and offering had been made to the skulls every year during the Gawai Dayak (Harvest Festival) celebration which fell on June 1st every year.

However, Skull Festival was not being held any more unless something disastrous happened.

The baruk (ritual house) was a historical building and as old as the village itself. The village was among the oldest in the district.

It was a round building with conical shaped  ‘attap ‘  roof, wooden and bamboo wall and floor made from bamboo strips.

Besides the five human skulls, there were two deer skulls being hung in the ‘baruk’. The skulls were wrapped in leaves and tied with rattan.

A few olden weapons including spears and wooden shields were tied to a post in the ‘baruk’. These antiques were said to be a few generations old. 

The weapons had been used by their fore-fathers to protect the village from invaders.

I was informed that their ancestors at first stayed at the lowland somewhere at the present Pangkalan Tebang, but were forced to move to build their village up at the mountain in order to protect themselves from the attack by their enemies, the Dayaks from Indonesia.

The village was near the Indonesian border. It took about 15-minute walk from the village to the border at Batu Aum, but the nearest Indonesian village, Kampung Sidin was about 3-hour walk from the village.

In the 80’s and 90’s the Indonesian Dayaks from Kampung Sidin, Tawang and Sungkung, used to come over here to sell their farm products such as gingers, chickens, pigs and other jungle produces.

This path between Sarawak and Indonesia was now seldom being used due to good roads connecting the two countries.

Before, they were enemies, but now they were like brothers and sisters as they spoke the same dialect. Mutual visiting was common especially during Gawai.

Joseph Jindi from Kampung Tebawang Saud who was among those who made the visit to Kampung Gumbang to witness the event said last year a group of Bidayuhs led by the president of the Dayak Bidayuh National Assopciation Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik were invited to celebrate a traditional Gawai Nyobeng at Sibjujit, Kacamatan Siding.

“This year, a group of them comprised 46 men and women, including the Ketua Adat Pak Amin, walked for eight hours to reach Kampung Gumbang to make a return visit by holding Gawai ritual at Baruk Tiguon there,” said Jindi.

It was a grand ceremony in a traditional style.

Kampung Gumbang intended to make this event as a private affair, only meant for Bigumbang (people of Gumbang village) but words spread around.

This year they are very proud that State Assemblyman for Bengoh Dr. Jerip Susil and  Pahon Joyik also attended the ‘Gawai Nyobang’.  

Dr. Jerip Susil in his speech announced a yearly grant for funding the Gawai for Kampung Gumbang and also to provide some funding for next year’s event of ‘Gawai Nyobeng’ at Sibujit at the Indonesia side.

On the June 4, 2011, when the actual Gawai was held, everyone was to go to the Baruk Tiguon to start the ritual after the function at the village’s hall.

The procession was headed by both Ketua Adat from both countries. Ketua Adat from Gumbang En. Anjan ak Jikan led the groups from the Sarawak side whereas Pak Amin from Sibujit led those from Indonesia.

They danced round the pole in the middle of the Tonju (Bamboo platform). ‘Mantra’ was chanted to appease the unseen spirits so as to give them good health, protection, good harvest and etc.

Afterwards, Pak Amin and Anjan led the cutting of the bamboo pole that they had carried with them, and took turn to cut the bamboo with one stroke of their parang (sword).

The’ tuak’ was given to everyone that attended the event. Everyone greeted each other while the sound of gongs played in the background.

Later in the afternoon, slaughtering of pigs for the Gawai was held. Drinks such as tuak and beer were served to the guests at the ‘Baruk’.

Only a few of the villagers were still pagans who held on to the traditional beliefs.

As the padi harvesting season was now over, the traditional rituals during the annual Gawai celebration had started.

The all-night long music by the band boys at the village hall and the sound of the gongs from the baruk filled the night at Gumbang village till the wee hours of the morning.

Rojos Jenis, 50, was from Kampung Tembawang Sauh, Bau and married to a lady from Kampung Gumbang and resided there ever since was our host that evening. Heserved his guests with his newly brewed Tuak Tebu (made from sugarcane) and Tuak Tumbang (from palm tree).

“I liked the sweet taste of Tuak Tebu, and had a few glasses poured by my host. Finally, the Tuak Tumbang, which was recently harvested from the tree that day, and tasted very refreshing indeed,” said Jindi.

For those who have not witness this rare event, you can come and join them in the year 2012 where ‘Gawai Nyobang’ will be held every two  years.

For visitors that came to witness the event, they could visit any houses in the village and enjoy the delicacies of various foods and cakes.

House to house visit was a very common practice during Gawai in every Bidayuh village in Sarawak.

Having good road to this village was the most welcoming development that the villagers ever wanted, which their fore-fathers never even dare to dream, considering the village was situated far in the middle of the jungle and up in the mountain.

They, the villagers were very grateful to the government of the day for bringing such a great change which could upgrade their living condition.

The villagers also enjoyed 24-hour electricity supply, supplied by Syarikat SESC0 Berhad where the wiring was provided by the government late last year.

Rojos was very happy because the meter at this home was installed before Gawai. So his house was as bright as any home in town.

“Before that, my generator set only provided electricity from 6.30 pm till 10.30 pm daily to light up the florescent lamps and to power the other electrical appliances including television and refrigerator,” said Rojos.

Water supply was from gravity feed pipe from the water source from nearby Gunung Api since the 1970’s.

Rojos said soon the government would provide a bigger tanks/dam to cater for the increasing population of the village.

There was a primary school in the village, Sekolah Rendah Kerajaan Gumbang, with six classes from Primary One to Six.

Most students, who were boarders, in this school came from Gumbang itself as well as from Plaman Sibuluh and Padang Pan village.

The school had all the modern facilities provided for the teachers and students alike.

There was a Roman Catholic church, St. Nicholas’ Church at one end of the village. It was built some 20 years ago to cater for the Christian families in the village.

At present there were some 80 houses in the village with about 400 people. They were farmers planting padi, cocoa, pepper and other crops. Education was right at their doorsteps.

Most Bigumbang worked as civil servant in town and major cities in Sarawak.

Many youngsters had left the village to look for greener pasture in towns.

With the completion of the road, villagers were now able to transport their farm and jungle produce (by boarding the vans) to sell in the Sunday market in Kuching every weekends, which gave them an additional source of income.

This was something impossible in the past.

Before the construction of the road began in 1994, the village was only accessible by walking through jungle tracks.

It took about three hours from the village to reach Kampung Bogag, some 10 km away, from where they could board a bus or private vans or pick-ups to reach Bau town.

The return journey would take about four hours or more as they have to scale the mountain with goods over their shoulders.

The worst was when the villagers had to carry sick patients along the jungle tracks to seek medical treatment in Bau town.

In several cases, the patients died before reaching the Bau Dispensary.

For those who have not witness this rare event, you can come and join them in the year 2012 where ‘Gawai Nyobang’ will be held every two years.  

Driving from Bau town to Gumbang village now only takes about 20 minutes. You will not miss the junction of Gumbang/Padang Pan road at Pijiru.

A panoramic view with green vegetation and trees can still be seen along the way.

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Sayang ritual Gawai Dayak pupus ditelan zaman

Oleh ROBERT KENNETH

1 dan 2 Jun setiap tahun merupakan hari untuk masyarakat Dayak terutama kaum etnik Iban dan Bidayuh menyambut perayaan Gawai Dayak.

Perkataan 'Gawai' bermaksud ritual atau festival sedangkan Dayak adalah nama kolektif untuk kumpulan etnik asli di Sarawak dan tetangganya Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Gawai Dayak bermaksud "Festival Dayak".

Semasa festival ini masyarakat Dayak akan mengadakan rumah terbuka untuk menyambut tetamu serta mengunjungi rumah teman-teman dan saudara mara.

Kunjungan seperti ini dikenali sebagai "ngabang" dalam bahasa Iban dan Bidayuh.

Pada zaman dahulu suasana sambutan berbeza-beza antara satu tempat dengan tempat lain dan setiap rumah panjang atau kampung menetapkan tarikh mereka sendiri untuk menyambut festival tersebut.

Pelbagai upacara persembahan dan hidangan tradisional tempatan dan 'tuak' (minuman keras yang diperbuat daripada beras) dihidangkan kepada para tetamu.

Ia adalah perayaan yang unik dan tidak seharusnya dilepaskan oleh pelancong tempatan dan asing.

Bagi kaum Dayak yang tinggal di kawasan-kawasan pedalaman, Gawai merupakan ungkapan rasa syukur kepada Tuhan Yang Maha Esa kerana memberi hasil tuaian padi yang lumayan.

Sementara mereka yang di bandar melihat Gawai Dayak sebagai perayaan untuk bersyukur kepada Tuhan kerana mereka diberi kehidupan yang makmur sepanjang tahun.

Persiapan untuk menytambut Gawai Dayak bermula awal. Tuak (arak beras) disediakan lebih awal, sekurang-kurangnya sebulan sebelum perayaan.

Apabila tarik perayaan semakin dekat, setiap orang akan sibuk membersihkan dan menyiapkan makanan dan kueh-muih.

Sehari sebelum sambutan, beras pulut (lemang) dibakar di dalam buluh.

Di rumah panjang Iban tikar baru akan diletakkan di sepanjang 'ruai' rumah panjang bagi menyambut ketibaan tetamu.
Sedangkan bagi masyarakat Bidayuh moden hari Gawai Dayak dirayakan dengan mengadakan rumah terbuka. Makanan dan minuman disajikan kepada tetamu.

Perbelanjaan untuk merayakan Gawai Dayak zaman ini terlalu tinggi kerana harga barangan makanan yang naik melangit hari ini.
“Seluruh perbelanjaan boleh mencecah ribuan ringgit,” kata Taleng Gael, 50, dari Kampung Jenan.

Malangnya, upacara ritual Gawai dalam masyarakat Bidayuh sudah pupus ditelan zaman kemodenan.

Sekarang generasi muda tidak mempunyai peluang untuk mengamati 'dayung boris' atau 'dayung beris' dalam longhat Bidayuh Biatah dan 'tukang ranjak' yang melakukan ritual Gawai.

Generasi baru Bidayuh hari ini juga tidak berkesempatan melihat tarian Gawai 'rejang' serta ritual Gawai yang pernah dilakukan oleh ketua adat gawai dan 'tamang' suatu masa dulu.

"Tidak ada lagi upacara ritual dilakukan semasa festival Gawai Dayak sejak lebih sepuluh tahun lalu,” kata Singoi Anak Jaya, 93, yang pernah menjadi ketua adat Gawai di kampung beliau.

Menurut Singoi, di masa lalu upacara ritual membuat festival lebih bermakna dan meriah berbanding sekarang.

"Sekarang masyarakat Bidayuh merayakan Hari Gawai hanya dengan mengadakan rumah terbuka, menjamu selera selama dua, tiga hari atau lebih tapi mereka tidak mempunyai upacara ritual untuk mengucapkan terima kasih kepada roh padi kerana memberikan hasil tuaian padi yang lumayan.

"Bagaimanapun, zaman sekarang tidak ramai kaum Bidayuh yang menanam padi sehingga mereka tidak perlu menunjukkan rasa terima kasih kepada roh padi," kata Singoi berseloroh.

Singoi berkata, di masa lampau kaum Bidayuh mengamati penuh upacara ritual Gawai dan sebab itu mereka sentiasa mempunyai bekalan beras yang mencukupi.

Ketika diminta untuk menceritakan sedikit tentang bagaimana festival itu dirayakan di masa lalu, Singoi menjelaskan upacara biasanya diadakan di beranda rumah panjang atau 'awah' yang menjadi pusat ritual Gawai.

Katanya, persiapan untuk menyambut Gawai Dayak bermulai seminggu lebih awal apabila penduduk kampung atau rumah panjang bergotong-royong untuk memperbaiki 'awah' dan 'tanju' tempat upacara Gawai akan diadakan.

"Sanggar (menara buluh) akan dibina di 'awah' dan 'tanju' di mana persembahan/hidangan kepada roh padi akan ditempatkan.

"Pukulan gong dan gendang memeriahkan suasana festival sementara ucapara ritual biasanya melibatkan golongan yang berumur kerana dipercayai kuat semangat,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, tarian Gawai ‘rejang’ juga dilakukan dan ‘dayung beris’ akan menyanyikan lagu-lagu Gawai.

"Ayam disembelih sebagai korban. Setiap penduduk kampung termasuk para tetamu harus menghormati pantang larangan yang duikuatkuasakan oleh ketua adat gawai.

“Mana-mana orang yang melanggar pantang larang boleh jatuh sakit,” katanya.

Upacara ritual biasanya akan memakan masa tiga atau empat hari, bahkan ada yang sehingga tujuh hari, tujuh malam.

Dalam masyarakat Bidayuh Biperoh ritual Gawai bermula dengan memanggil roh padi untuk menyertai upacara ritual dan festival.

Mereka yang terlibat dalam ritual Gawai biasanya golongan yang sudah berumur dengan diketuai 'ketua gawai' atau 'tamang'.

Singoi berkata, upacara ritual Gawai biasanya akan berlangsung satu jam sebelum tengah malam sebelum sambutan Gawai Dayak.

"Selama upacara ritual semangat padi akan dipanggil untuk menyertai upacara berkenaan,” kata Singoi, yang telah mencapai status 'tamang'.

Seorang ‘tamang’ adalah seseorang yang telah melalui beberapa peringkat upacara adat gawai dan orang yang berani dan tidak takut kepada hantu.

Katanya, selama upacara ritual diadakan ketua adat gawai akan membaca mentera memohon berkat roh padi untuk tuaian yang lebih baik serta meminta bimbingan sambil mengibar seekor ayam di atas ‘hidangan’ dan orang-orang yang turut serta dalam upacara itu.

Ayam berkenaan kemudiannya disembelih dan darahnya digunakan untuk upacara ritual berkenaan.
Ini akan diikuti persembahan tarian 'rejang' mengelilingi ‘sanggar’ dengan paluan gong dan gendang.

Setelah upacara ritual selesai disempurnakan, semua yang hadir dijemput untuk berjamu selera di ‘awah’ sambil berhibur.
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