‘Sino-Dayak community stands as catalyst of S’wak unity’
SERIAN: Members of the SinoDayak community in Sarawak hope that they could play a more significant role in the state.
Sarawak Sino Dayak Association president Sebastian Bong said the community, born out of the inter-marriages between the Chinese and the Dayaks, now comprises about 200,000 people.
He also pointed out that contrary to what many would think, not everybody is accepting of intermarriages, causing many of the offspring to grow up confused about their customs.
He recalled that in the past, there had been derogatory terms used to describe the Sino-Dayaks, but many had persevered; as it turned out, this strengthened the community further and bridged the gap as far as their families were concerned.
“Through the setting-up of this association, we want the SinoDayaks to look at themselves as a national treasure. Why? It is because they are the catalyst of unity – as children of this intermarriage, they’re the ones who can bring the two communities
Through the setting up of this association, we want the SinoDayaks to look at themselves as national treasure. Why? It is because they are the catalyst of unity – as children of this inter-marriage, they’re the ones who can bring the two communities together.
together.
“We hope that the Sino-Dayaks would all gather under one association and contribute to (the state’s) political stability. This is so that the government could implement good programmes to the people, which the Sino-Dayaks could also benefit from,” he said at the launch of the association’s Serian branch on Sunday night.
Pelagus assemblyman and Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS) supreme council member Wilson Nyabong Ijang officiated at the ceremony in Serian Community Hall.
In his speech, Nyabong called upon the Sino-Dayaks to work closely with the government towards realising its initiatives, especially the new ones introduced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, namely digital economy, rural transformation programme (RTP) that emphasises on agriculture and the push for science, technology, engineering and mathematics ( STEM) education, as well as technical and vocational education and training (TVet).
“For example, we can use digital economy to utilise e- commerce in order to market agriculture produce.”
Nyabong also highlighted Sarawak as a living example of the 1Malaysia concept, signified by the inter-marriages between different ethnic groups – proof that the people in the state live peacefully and harmoniously with one another.
The assemblyman then pledged a grant of RM15,000 for the association.
Political secretary to the chief minister Charles Chad Nissom and local community leaders were among the guests.
Sebastian Bong, Sarawak Sino Dayak Association president