Work on Bidayuh Culture Village to commence soon

BAU: Construction work on a Bidayuh Culture Village at the Redeems Centre in Kampung Apar, Singai near here will commence within the next few months.

According to Association of Research and Development Movement of Singai Sarawak ( Redeems) president Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, the village will be able to host Bidayuh- related cultural activities on a larger scale. The proposed cultural village, estimated to cost some RM10 million, is modeled after a Dayak longhouse.

“As Redeems president, I envisioned the association contributing and serving the Bidayuh community which is why we want to build this Bidayuh Culture Village. It will be big as the longhouse’s ‘ tanju’ area alone itself will occupy two acres,” he said when officiating at Redeems 20th anniversary dinner held at its centre on Saturday.

Once built, the cultural village will host the annual Singai Gawai festival organised by Redeems.

“Works to construct the new cultural village will begin in a few months time. When completed it will be similar to the Sarawak Cultural Village,” he said adding that it was one of Redeems efforts at preserving the Singai Bidayuh culture for future generations.

He praised the association for being able to pull in some RM20 million worth of developments to Singai area throughout its 20 years of existence so far.

“Redeems is what it is today because of the support of the Singai people. It will also do its best to bring more development to the people in Singai,” he commented.

He also said that it was wrong for anyone to say that the Redeems Centre was owned by him although it may be true that he helped to request for funds for the implementation of the centre but that did not mean that he could lay claim to the centre. He assured that the centre was established for the benefit of every Bisingai, not just locals from the surrounding areas.