PKS takes steps to increase membership
MIRI: Sarawak Kayan Association ( PKS) is taking proactive steps in increasing its membership to serve the community in urban areas as well as to provide better opportunity for the appointment of community leaders among them here and all the major towns in Sarawak.
Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau who is also PKS president, in giving this assurance, said the association has submitted a request and appealed to the Sarawak government to appoint a Kayan community leader, especially a penghulu in Miri City in line with this objective.
“The bigger the number the better to show our unity and to be acknowledged by the government, which will then grant our dream to set up a post for a Penghulu from the Kayan community in Miri City.
“We need to hold this exercise so that the penghulus can serve at places where they have been assigned,” he said at the Sarawak Kayan Association Nahah AA branch pre- Christmas gathering here on Thursday.
PKS Nahah AA is one of six active branches of the parent association, with over 200 registered members.
Dennis said that based on a survey conducted by PKS Miri branch recently only 6,000 Kayans currently reside in Miri City.
“I believe the number is more as many claimed they did not know the survey was being conducted.
“I hope one day we can conduct
The bigger the number the better to show our unity and to be acknowledged by the government, which will then grant our dream to set up a post for a Penghulu from the Kayan community in Miri City. We need to hold this exercise so that the penghulus can serve at places where they have been assigned. Dennis Ngau, Telang Usan assemblyman
a second survey so that our dream of having a penghulu in Miri and also in Bintulu, Sibu and Kuching for the Kayan community will be realised.”
Dennis, who is also Sarawak Kayan Association president, lauded the PKS branch for its tireless efforts in uniting the community.
“Our community comprises only around 80,000 people within the larger Orang Ulu group, which is estimated to be around 300,000 people in Malaysia. As such, we must uphold this unity and seek ways to progress together,” he said.
He also said a lot have changed for the Kayans today including lifestyle of those who have moved to urban areas to pursue higher education and career development.
“Nevertheless, it is also vital for us as parents to make sure that our children are being given the opportunity to go back to the villages as often as they can so that they can have some connection.
“It is important for our younger generation to get accustomed to their villages so they can fall in love with them and not forget their roots.”
He also urged his and Mulu constituents to pray for the smooth implementation of the various projects to be implemented there under the Highland Development Agency ( HDA) initiatives led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
“On our part as people’s representatives, myself, Datuk Gerawat Gala ( Mulu assemblyman), Anyi Ngau ( Baram MP) and all relevant government agencies are doing all we could to bring development to improve the standard of living of our people in Ulu Baram through implementation of infrastructure and amenity projects,” said Dennis.
At the event, Dennis announced an allocation of RM10,000 to Sarawak Kayan Association Nahah AA branch to run its activities.
He later presented incentives to several Kayan schoolchildren who attained outstanding results in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah ( UPSR), Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 ( PT3) and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia ( SPM) to encourage them in pursuing higher education thereafter.
Former PKS president Lah Jau, Sarawak Kayan Women Association chairperson Roselyn Lah and PKS Nahah AA chairman Laing Uvang who is also the organising committee head were among those present at the dinner.