Education is the way forward, Manyin tells Bidayuh parents
Posted on August 1, 2012, Wednesday
KUCHING: Bidayuh parents must stress on their children the importance of hard work and education if they want them to progress.
The community must also not blame others for their shortcomings, but must take charge of their own destiny, advised Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin recently.
“Rather than cursing the darkness, we must light our candles instead towards the opportunities offered all around us. We have to work hard for our own successes rather than wait and see what’s coming for us.
“The Bidayuhs have a choice, to sit back and look at others working towards success or to join in the race and start cracking and working hard,” he said.
Manyin, who is also Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) advisor, said this on Sunday night during the launch of a biography on Singai community leader John Jinep entitled ‘John Jinep…For The Love of My Family’.
He told them in order to see
their community progress by leaps and bounds, every member, especially the more fortunate ones, must push each other forward instead of pulling each other down.
“We must be positive and supportive towards members of our community if they are doing good things and are succeeding in their lives. We must not bring their efforts down with negativity,” he advised.
He also cited John Jinep’s success as a family man as a model for all Bidayuh families to emulate.
“John Jinep’s life story should be the epitome of a successful Bidayuh father and family man who was able to bring up 10 successful children through his vision to encourage his children to be the best they could,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of John Jinep’s sons William Jinep, who is Sarawak Rivers Board controller, said the biography was a tale of a common man’s love for his family.
William hoped that the struggle by his father and mother Maria Udet to bring up 10 children would encourage Bidayuhs to strive and work hard to bring progress to their families.
Having lived through the Rajah Brooke regime, Japanese occupation, British colonial rule and independence within Malaysia, John Jinep was conferred the Johan Bintang Kenyalang state award for his service to the Bisingai community.
The book was written by Patrick Rigep Nuek who in his speech urged Bidayuhs to recognise each other’s achievement and be motivated by it.
“Be good at recognising the achievements of our own people, for example now we have young Bidayuh star athlete Pandelela Rinong…more Bidayuh groups and associations should take the initiative to give her recognition for her outstanding achievement as a diving athlete,” he said.
Rigep suggested that young Bidayuhs take up writing in order to keep the Bidayuh culture and tales alive.
The book is sold at RM30 per copy, and the proceeds will be donated to the construction of St Peter’s Church Srippau new building.
The event was attended by State Legislative Assembly deputy speaker Datuk Roland Sagah, DBNA president Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and political secretaries to the chief minister Datuk Wilfred Rata Nissom and John David Nyauh as well as several community leaders including Temenggong Datuk Stephen Jussem.
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