‘MCO timely reminder to be good stewards over the land’

KUCHING: The Movement Control Order (MCO) period has been called ‘a timely reminder of the need to be good stewards over the land that all are blessed with’, said Selangau MP Baru Bian.

He said Covid-19 had brought alive the real meaning of ‘Our Land is Our Life’, as prior to the MCO, many might have taken this gift for granted.

“Maybe some wanted badly to experience the city life and left their villages with high hopes of earning good incomes and living comfortable modern lives.

“However when the world turned upside down and Covid-19 caused havoc in the food chain, we realised that even if we had money, we could still go hungry if there was no food to buy. Covid19 reminds us of the importance of the roles of farmers who by their hard work on their land, are rewarded with good harvests. They are the ones who can still feed their families when the people in the cities are faced with empty supermarket shelves,” he said in his Gawai Dayak message.

As such, Baru said this Gawai all would have a reason to celebrate the harvest, which comes every year without fail to sustain the people.

“We must make a conscious decision to place more emphasis on sowing good seeds and reaping bountiful harvests each year, so that we many be better prepared when the next pandemic hits us.”

He stressed that the people must also look out for the less-fortunate folk among them and share their harvests with them.

“Being generous in giving to those around us brings greater spiritual blessings and harvests to us. We should also be prudent in our spending as the economy is unstable with many countries certain to experience recession,” he said.

Baru said during the MCO, he longed to be back in his mountain village.

“Sarawak is bestowed with plenty of land and jungle crops, which are still readily available in some areas if one cares to work hard enough. In other areas, where the land is now covered with oil palm plantations and the rivers are polluted and silted by logging activities, the people are not so lucky,” he said.

The Ba Kelalan assemblyman cited the video ‘Stay Safe in the Forest’ of an Indonesian native, who narrated how his people retreated to their homes in the forests to isolate themselves from the virus.

“He said by doing so, they also lessened the burden on the government of providing food for them as they had rice from their harvests, vegetables and animals on their farms and also fish from the nearby rivers to sustain them.

“When Malaysians realised that Covid-19 had arrived on our shores and a lockdown was anticipated, the first thought in the minds of many was to head home to their ‘kampungs’ (villages). Home is what tugs at our heartstrings. Home is where we feel safe and comfortable. Home is where we feel a connection to the land.”

Baru also reminded all to celebrate in their own way this year – safe in their homes away from home.

“Home is where we would like to be this Gawai, but we cannot make the journey, for the safety of our loved ones there. It is a sacrifice, but one that we must make willingly. Wherever we are, our village homes and our loved ones are in our hearts,” he added.