TYT: Gawai Dayak to reinforce bonds among communities
KUCHING: The celebration of Gawai Dayak this year will continue to reinforce the bonds among communities, irrespective of race, religion, or background, says Yang DiPertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
He says this is despite the festival being celebrated amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Due to this, we have to celebrate Gawai Dayak this year in a different environment or in a ‘new reality’ as termed worldwide, as Covid-19 spreads to all corners of the world,” he said in his Gawai Dayak message.
Taib said the Dayak community, comprising different ethnic groups with their own distinct customs, played an important role for cultural enrichment, which was an important element of the state and country’s image.
“We should be proud of the harmony and peace enjoyed today, the fruits of being tolerant and building trusting relations among people of different races, cultures, and religions,” he said.
The Head of State said such uniqueness remained the strength of Sarawak and also acted as a pillar to safeguard unity and a stable political climate; thus its must be preserved.
“I hope the unity and harmonious landscape that Sarawak enjoys would continue, based on its own unique way.”
Taib said Sarawakians should be proud of the impressive developments and advancements achieved by preserving unity and cordial relationships among people of different ethnic groups, beliefs, and backgrounds.
“I am glad we have managed to reduce poverty rate in the state to 2.4 per cent, reflecting the changes happening in rural areas and enabling better living standards,” he said.
Acknowledging that there were some pockets of community still left out of development, Taib said such groups were often in hard-to-reach places.
He said 44 per cent of the population lived in rural and interior places that had huge potential to be developed for the benefit of all.
“However, the huge size of the Sarawak means that these rural places would require basic infrastructure development and access to education and health systems.”
As such, he said the state government had prioritised a development agenda that would not only enable the state to achieve high-income status, but also to be transformed into the most advanced state by 2030.
Taib said the state government had and would continue to embark on programmes to transform rural areas, allowing Sarawak to become more advanced and progressive.
Efforts to transform rural areas included roads, water and electricity supply, as well as access to healthcare and education facilities, he said.
“These basic services are critical to promote economic activities such as developing the agriculture industry, commercial plantations, and tourism.
“Besides, the state government plans to set up rural growth centres as one of the strategies to accelerate rural area transformation. The readiness of basic services at each centre is needed to support economic activities and improve standards of living,” he said.
Taib added the state government had started initiatives to encourage investment from the private sector to rural areas and help realise the economic potential of places such as Tanjong Manis, Bakun, Murum, Tunoh, Baram, Sematan, and Merapok.
“All these initiatives will result in positive impacts on the local community in terms of employment and business opportunities,” he said, adding that this would reduce the development gap between urban and rural areas.
“Although the country has continued to prosper with consistent developments, we have not realised the full potential of the resources available in the state.”
Taib said the state government had to look into ways to make full use of Sarawak’s huge land size to generate new jobs and create business opportunities for the people, especially those in the rural areas.
“The state government has already introduced policies to develop industries based on agriculture, which has immense potential. Modern agriculture has to keep pace with time and continues to assess new approaches to further utilise plantation fields or farms more strategically.”
Taib advised the people to prepare for business opportunities and employment vacancies that would follow from the developments initiated.
“These opportunities will require knowledge and certain skillsets from the workforce, especially the new generation. So acquire a good education and the relevant training to equipment oneself with the ability to grab these opportunities when they arrive,” he said.
Taib also urged the people to continue adhering to standard operating procedures and guidelines issued by the relevant authorities and Ministry of Health, such as observing social distancing of at least one-metre apart and wearing face masks during the celebration, to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Due to this, we have to celebrate Gawai Dayak this year in a different environment or in a ‘new reality’ as termed worldwide, as Covid-19 spreads to all corners of the world. — Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak