RM5,000 for every district to host festive dinners — Manyin
TEBEDU: Every district office in the state will organise dinner functions at their respective districts in conjunction with Chinese New Year, Gawai Dayak and Hari Raya Puasa beginning this year.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Solidarity Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said RM5,000 will be allocated to each district office for this purpose.
He explained the objective of such dinners is to bring the people together, forge closer ties between races and to strengthen solidarity among Sarawakians.
“Only in Sarawak, you can find people from many races and yet we are able to live in peace and harmony with each other for many generations.
“We celebrate each other’s festivities. For example, Chinese New Year is not only celebrated among the Chinese but all the races. It is likewise for Gawai for the Dayak community and Hari Raya Puasa for the Malays, we hold open houses and share the spirit of festivity with others.
“My ministry wants to further promote this culture, which is a unique feature among us Sarawakians,” he said.
Manyin, who is also Tebedu assemblyman, made these remarks at the ‘ Sarawak Celebrates - Chinese New Year’ dinner at the Dewan Masyarakat Tebedu on Friday evening.
On another matter, he emphasised that Sarawakian Chinese are not ‘ pendatang’ (immigrants or outsiders), stressing that the stand was already made by the previous chief minister, the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
“The culture we have in Sarawak is different from those in the peninsula. Here, you find a Muslim food stall set up next to a non Muslim food stall, and Muslims and non- Muslims can sit together at one table. This is the spirit of solidarity and culture which we must preserve for future generations,” said Manyin.
At the same time, Manyin invited members of the audience to come to the Sports Complex in Serian on April 1 (this Saturday) for the Pesta Birumuh 2017 which will be officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the Pesta Birumuh, which is to signify the farming activities of the Bidayuh community, is open to all to join and witness.
He also told the audience that Tebedu state constituency also receives RM5 million annually from the state government’s Rural Transformation Programme ( RTP) fund, and he urged village chiefs to apply for projects that can improve their villages.
“The RTP has been ongoing for three years since the time of the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, and now continued by his successor Datuk Amar Abang Johari. Through the RTP funds, we can build better village roads, build new halls or improve existing ones, improve places of worship or build new ones and so on. This is one way to accelerate rural development,” he said.
He also expressed his wish for a new building block for Tebedu District Office to be built soon.
Meanwhile, co- organising chairman Penghulu Fong Soon Foh said the dinner was the first of its kind to be held in Tebedu.
Thanking the Tebedu District Office for making the effort to hold the dinner, he said the timing of the dinner coincided with the start of the spring season.
The dinner saw cultural and modern dance performances, karaoke singing and presentation of ‘angpow’ to three selected senior citizens.
Also present were Serian Resident Jonathan Lugoh, Tebedu District officer Raymond Achen, Serian District officer Lim Hock Meng and community leaders.