DBNA to compile database to address community’s socio-economic woes

KUCHING: The Dayak Bidayuh National Organisation ( DBNA) will come up with a database on how best to address socio- economic issues affecting the community.

DBNA president Datu Ik Pahon Joyik revealed that he will highlight the issue during the coming exco meeting for its new office-bearers on July 20.

“It is indeed an opportune time for us to have a database so that we can work with the relevant authorities, especially with the various district offices in the three divisions of Kuching, Kota Samarahan and Serian, on how best to address the socio- economic problems faced by the Bidayuh community,” he told The Borneo Post recently.

He was responding to a report by The Borneo Post that the family of the late Monica Mazlan, six, and her four-year- old brother Jackson, who died of rabies at the Sarawak General Hospital on Tuesday, came from a very poor background.

Besides the two siblings, there are four other children, aged between two and 12, in the family. Their father is an odd-job worker while their mother is a housewife.

The Borneo Post was informed that had the father had RM40 on the day when Monica and Jackson were bitten by rabid dogs in late April, he would have brought them for proper medical treatment which could have saved their lives.

According to Ik Pahon, who accompanied Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas yesterday to visit the family’s humble house at Kampung Paon Rimu Bakung, some 30 kilometres from Serian town, it was indeed a wake-up call for DBNA to come up with the database.

“To collect the data, we will ask our 20 DBNA branches in Sarawak, including one in the Klang Valley, to collaborate with other NGOs ( non- govermental organisations) and the relevant authorities to collect the necessary data and statistics on how best to address the needs of our people who are still in poverty,” he said.

Touching on the family of the late Monica and Jackson, Ik Pahon revealed that DBNA has started collecting donations for the education of the four other siblings.

“We will collaborate with the YB (assemblyman) of that area on how best to assist them (siblings) in their education as it will be the key to changing their lives,” he said, adding that DBNA will meet up with Kedup assemblyman Martin Ben to discuss the details on how best to assist the family.