Serian will be upgraded to 14th Division

By Jacop Achoi.

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem yesterday indicated that Serian district will be elevated to be the 14th Division in the state.

Speaking to reporters after launching a Bidayuh symposium at Dayak Bidayuh National Assocition (DBNA) headquarters here, Adenan all but confirmed the formation of a new state division when he told reporters that he would discuss with the State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani, the administrative process of elevating Serian to a division.

The exercise will involve drawing up boundary for the proposed new division and determining the size of its population.

He added that the preparation to establish the new division would be similar to the exercises carried out to turn Kapit and Mukah into divisions in the past.

“For a division to be set up, we have to establish a boundary, determine the population, a divisional capital and other requirements.”

Earlier speaking the launching of the symposium, Adenan assured that titles would be issued to untitled Bidayuh Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.

He commended the initiative by DBNA to survey Bidayuh NCR land, to complement the surveys carried out by Land and Survey Department.

“Those (Bidayuh) who have NCR land and without title will be issued with one (title)…no doubt about that, so I must compliment the effort by DBNA to survey the land and that must continue,” Adenan stressed.

Adenan stressed that the government would never neglect minority groups but added that they must attach themselves with the majority.

He lauded DBNA for organising the symposium and bringing the members of the community from different political affiliations to discuss issues affecting them.

“I feel honoured to be invited to this event and able to see the community, in spite of the political differences able to come together for the sake of the Bidayuh community,” he said.

The symposium was attended by more than 1, 000 participants.

Present at the event were Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin, who is also DBNA advisor, State Legislative Assembly (DUN) deputy speaker Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Assistant Minister of Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Assistant Minister of Community Development Datuk Peter Nansian, DBNA president Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and Bidayuh community leaders.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/10/12/14th-division-in-the-offing/#ixzz3Fsqv09qG

Bidayuh Miss Malaysia World hopes to inspire

KUCHING: Miss Malaysia World 2014 Dewi Liana Seriestha is hoping her success will inspire the younger generation, especially those from the Bidayuh community.

The talented 25-year-old, who was crowned in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 30, was clearly touched by the hundreds who showed up at the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) headquarters yesterday to warmly welcome her.

“We have to dare to dream big. That is what drove me to this level,” said Dewi, who started to show her talents in singing, acting and modelling from a very young age.

“It is now not only about me as I will be representing Malaysia, Sarawak and the whole Bidayuh community,” she said of the Miss World pageant to be held in London on Dec 14.

Dewi, who hails from Kampung Tematu near here, defeated 20 other finalists to win the Miss Malaysia World title — the first Bidayuh woman to do so.

She also won the subsidiary titles of Miss Talent, Miss Personality and Miss Dr Alice.

On her preparations for the global competition, Dewi said she would fly to the United Kingdom in early November for a month-long coaching programme to prepare her mentally and physically for the Miss World grand finale.

Prior to the Miss Malaysia 2014 pageant, Dewi also won a gold medal for classical opera and three silver medals for her vocals in the Contemporary, World Music and Variety categories during the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California in July.

During the same championship, she also won a medal for the Industry Award and a plaque for the Classical Champion of the World.

Meanwhile, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said Dewi’s success is a reflection of the Bidayuh community’s efforts to succeed at national and international level.

He thanked Dewi’s parents for their endless support in helping her reach major milestones.

“The competition in London will take a whole new perspective as there will be more competitors from all over the world,” said Manyin, who is also DBNA chief advisor.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/09/14/bidayuh-miss-malaysia-world-hopes-to-inspire-others/#ixzz3FoC3Kfld

Tebakang Bazaar

Tebakang (also known as Tebekang or Tabekang) is a village in the Seriandivision of Sarawak, Malaysia,^[1][2] between Serian and Tebedu. It is about 15 minutes drive from Serian Town. Tebakang lies approximately 56.9 kilometres (35 mi) south-south-east of the state capital Kuching.^[2]

The population of Tebakang, over 2000, is predominantly Bidayuh bukar Sadong and Malays, and the village is divided into two villages by the Sadong River (Sungai Sadong - in Malay). The settlement on the main road side is named Kampung Bidayuh Tebakang and on the other side of the Sadong River is Kampung Melayu Tebakang.

During Charles Vyner Brooke’s era, Fort Tebakang was built as an administrative centre in 1929.

Serian to become a Division

(Seated front row from left) Martin, Snowdan, Manyin and Sagah during the media conference after the briefing on the Serian mini sports complex project yesterday. 

Their representative councillor Sunny Kon, in giving the assurance that the community strongly supported the idea, said it was time for the district to be made a division to enable Serian and its people to progress at a faster rate.

“It has been our hope to see that Serian will one day become a division, probably the 12th division in the state. Elevation of Serian from a district to division will certainly see greater growth and development here.

“As such, on behalf of the entire Chinese community in Serian and also its surrounding areas, I would like to thank the elected representatives for Tebedu (Dato Sri Michael Manyin), Tarat (Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn), Kedup (Martin Ben) and Balai Ringin (Snowdan Lawan), especially Dato Sri Michael Manyin, for working very hard to get the papers
ready for putting up the proposal to the state government,” he
said.

He told reporters this when responding to a remark made by Manyin at a news conference at the Serian mini sports complex yesterday.

Manyin, who is Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister, earlier pointed out that the papers on the proposal to make Serian a division were now ready and would be submitted to the state cabinet next month for consideration.

“We will submit our proposal to the state government and we hope that before the next state election we will get some good news. For the time being let us all pray hard for it.

“All of us, Datuk Roland Sagah, Martin, Snowdan and myself, we are very optimistic that this will become a reality since all the criteria are being complied with. Moreover, it is not just for the interest of any particular race alone but for the benefit of everyone, inclusive of all races,” he explained.

He said the idea of elevating the district was in fact long overdue, and the first draft was brought up to the attention of the state government when the present Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was chief minister.

“At that time probably the government thought we were still not ready but now I should say we have met all the criteria,” he said, adding that the size of Serian was 2,000 sq ft with a population of 120,000 people.

Among those present at the news conference which was held after a briefing by the Public Works Department (JKR) on the latest progress of the upgrading of Serian mini sports complex were Sagah who is also State Legislative Assembly deputy speaker,
Martin, Snowdan and heads of various government departments. The Borneo Post

DBNA receives more applications for NCR land documentation

KUCHING:   The Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) is experiencing a surge of applications for its land documentation initiative as the deadline looms.

Its president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik said after four years, the initiative that facilitated land title processing and native customary land (NCR), has finally been acknowledged as a success but would end by 2013.

“After four years, only now do all the Bidayuh villages demand to be included, asking DBNA to train their representatives on land documentation.

“I just received 300 new applications from villages where we have already done the documentation.  These are from those who did not want to participate in the initiative earlier,” he told reporters when met at DBNA premises yesterday.

 He said the task was not an easy one and so far, the initiative has taken flight in 40 of the targeted 338 Bidayuh villages.

He said the initiative under the guidance of Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin was carried out to speed up survey works instead of waiting for the Government to do the job.

“Some people asked us why they should pay when they can get it free through the Government, but they don’t realise that they would need to wait for it because Sarawak is a vast state.

“What we are doing is taking the initiative.  I personally don’t like the ‘everything free’ mentality, so if we can take our own initiative, why not?” he said.

Ik Pahon said the efforts started in Kampung Skuduk, of which villagers there had already been granted their land titles.

He said the initiative worked in such a way that each village would send three representatives for training at DBNA; one to do the global positioning system (GPS) reading, another to do the pegging and the other to document the readings in the field book.

 

(Source:  The Star, 25 Mac 2012)

Plans afoot to 'rejuvenate' Tebekang Bazaar

Dato' Sri Michael Manyin aiming a blowpipe to shoot at a balloon at Kampung Tebakang Melayu field to officiate at the Telematch and Rafting Challenge Exhibition.

SERIAN: Tebakang Bazaar along Jalan Serian-Mongkos, which used to be  bubbling with local residents, is set to be given a new breath of life with better infrastructure.

Among others, Serian District Council (SDC) planned to erect food stalls to help push the local economy in the area forward.

Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin suggested that SDC allocate RM1 million for the project.

“The market (in Tebakang Bazaar) has been quiet for a long time due to the lack of proper road infrastructure, which caused members of the public and residents in Serian to stop coming here,” he lamented when met after officiating at the Serian Telematch and Rafting Challenge Exhibition yesterday.

“Last time, this place was a very bright and jovial place, but after the construction of roads most of the local community flocked to Serian. My suggestion is that we hold some activities like opening stalls around here, which would lead people to come and eat here.”

Dato Sri Michael Manyin noted that the only eatery here at present belonged to Serian Chinese Pemanca Choo Kun Hian.

“But I believe that after the stalls are positioned here, more people will flock back because of the variety of food. This is one of the ways to attract more people to come back.”

Manyin, who is also Tebedu assemblyman, also said a bridge costing about RM300,000 would be built in Kampung Tebakang, latest by the end of the year. “For the time being, we are filling up the road from Mongkos to Tebakang Melayu and the Public Works Department has carried out surveys and studies as well as given suggestions on building a sturdy bridge that is capable of carrying the weight of a 20 tonne lorry.

“I am reviewing the budget and some of the bridge equipment are already there, we only need to add more, so, hopefully, we can finish it within the year.”

At the event, Manyin handed out prizes to the telematch winners. He also visited the stalls and the old site of Tebakang town.

Also present were SDC chairman Sinde Muling, SDC deputy chairman Dr Simon Sinang Bada and SDC acting secretary Muzaimah Sumar.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/05/11/plans-afoot-to-rejuvenate-tebakang-bazaar/#ixzz31MfyXbdW

Road to Daha finally tar sealed

Good road system linking Daha to Tebedu.