Abang Jo brings good news to Jatti Meirek Association of Miri
MIRI: Imperial Hotel’s ballroom was filled with loud cheers on Saturday after Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg announced two special New Year gifts for Jatti Meirek Association of Miri during the community’s 2018 charity dinner.
The first gift was in the form of sponsorship from Yayasan Sarawak for thesis research works on the culture and language of Jatti Meirek community.
Another gift was financial aid from the government totalling RM100,000 for the association to publish the second edition of its language guide book – A Guide Book to Meirek Language.
On the academic research work, Abang Johari, who is also chairman of Yayasan Sarawak, said the sponsorship is open to those pursuing master’s and doctorate ( PhD) degrees in the field of sociology.
The sociologists, he added, will assist the association to collect accurate information on the origins of the Jatti Meirek community from the perspective of language, culture, history and arts.
He said there was a serious need to preserve the identity of the Jatti Meirek community from being forgotten by the young generation due to modern lifestyle.
Regarding the language guide book, the Chief Minister and his deputy Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan agreed to come up with a government grant of RM50,000 each for the publication of the second edition of the language guide book in Malay language.
The guidebook was published to help ensure the survival of the Meirek language, which is now spoken less and less by the younger generation.
At the same time, he advised the association to further enhance its existing culture preservation works.
Without continuous preservation works, he feared that the Jatti Meirek community would lose its identity, particularly due to mixed marriage.
Also present were Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Assistant Minister of E- Commerce Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus, Sibuti MP Datuk Ahmad Lai Bujang, Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat, Mulu assemblyman Dato Gerawat Gala, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, Miri Resident Sherrina Hussaini, Miri mayor Adam Yii, president of the association Datuk Abdillah Abdul Rahim and organising chairman Ir Jamel Ibrahim.