SIBURAN: A total of RM50,000 from the Rural Minor Project (MRP) allocation has been approved for the organisation of next year’s Gawai celebration.
Deputy Minister for Transport, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, said the continued support reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that the customs, language and culture of the Bidayuh community are preserved and passed on to future generations.
“The culture and traditions of the Bidayuh community are an identity that must be safeguarded. Besides strengthening the community’s sense of identity, they also have significant potential as tourism assets capable of attracting visitors from within the country and abroad,” he said.
He said this when officiating at the Gawai Procession Competition and Sama Pimagan 2026 Programme of Kampung Seratau here on Saturday.
According to him, the state government had previously allocated RM55,000 to support the organisation of this year’s Gawai celebration.
In the same development, he also emphasised the importance of youth involvement in preserving cultural heritage, including the use of the Bidayuh language, traditional performing arts and customary practices that are increasingly being eroded by the passage of time.
The Mambong Assemblyman said tourism development in his constituency would continue to focus on nature- and culture-based tourism, with the rich heritage of the Bidayuh community regarded as one of the area’s key strengths.
In this regard, he also called on the 13 Bidayuh villages in the Mambong area to remain united and work together in strengthening community development while continuously preserving their cultural heritage. -UKASnews
