Kapit vibrant ahead of Gawai Dayak
KAPIT: This town comes alive with festive Gawai atmosphere, where the shops and major commercial areas are filled with many people, and the roads are jammed with vehicles.
It is a stark contrast against the time when the Movement Control Order (MCO) was in force between March 18 and May 12, where those who were not in essential services were ordered to stay at home.
On May 4, the federal government implemented the Conditional MCO (CMCO) where the restrictions were relaxed slightly to allow several economic sectors to reopen.
The CMCO would remain in force until June 9.
However, it is safe to say that the bustling sight here is not as vibrant as it was prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, in that inter-district and inter-state travelling is still not allowed under the CMCO.
The majority of the people seen across town are those within this district.
“It will be a very different Gawai this year, in view of the restrictions such as the ban on inter-district travel, as well as the outlined SOP (standard operating procedures) that must be observed during the celebration.
“They include ‘ngabang’ (house-to-house visiting), which is not allowed this year,” said Kapit Iban community leader Temenggong Wilfred
Billy Panyau when contacted yesterday.
“I have informed my children in Sibu that I have to stay back in Kapit because under the CMCO, inter-district travel is not allowed.”
It is said that the Ibans constitute over 85 per cent of Kapit’s total population of 110,000.
Nevertheless, many economic activities here have resumed operations under the CMCO, as shown by the reopening of many shops and major markets such as the Terasang Market.
One of the traders, who wished to be identified only as ‘Johnical’, said ‘business had been good’ since the reopening of Terasang Market.
“Sales have been good; I have been receiving a lot of customers looking for various jungle produce,” said Johnical, who runs his stall in front of the Tai Pek Kong Hock Leong Ten Temple because all the other spots in Terasang Market have been occupied.
A fishmonger, who only identified herself as ‘Mrs Johnny’, was also happy that shoppers had been frequenting her stall at the market.
“I’m happy that business is picking up steadily. Over the past week, I have been earning a few hundred ringgit daily,” said Mrs Johnny, who also sells various ‘pekasam’ (preserved) meats and spent hens.