Masing (centre) performing the ‘miring’ in the presence of Majang (on his left) and successful Penan entrepreneur Temenggong Datuk Hassan Sui (on his right).
Masing (centre) and others performing the ‘ngiling bidai’ at Rumah Akai, Menusa, Ulu Suai, some 90km from Bintulu yesterday.
Masing (seventh from right) and other leaders carrying a local-made mat to symbolise the end of the ‘ngiling bidai’ ceremony at Rumah Akai yesterday.
BINTULU: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing yesterday reminded the Dayak community that opposing the government was a futile effort.
He reasoned that only through the BN government could things be changed to ensure fairness in all fields for everyone in the state.
“When I was in PBDS, I fought hard with other leaders, who are now mostly PRS members. We fought hard because we thought we were right, but we couldn’t make it,” he said at a ‘ngiling bidai’ ceremony at Rumah Akai, Menusa, Ulu Suai, some 90km from here.
“But now we are part of the BN, and as part of the BN, we will support the BN and work within the system for the betterment of the Dayak community. We do it without hoo-ha, without raising our hands and publicity, and we managed to change the system from within.”
Masing, who is also PRS president, said, for instance, several laws had been amended to allow NCR lands to be more productive.
“And this is what we do within the government. That’s why we should work within the system to make it better. We work within the system because we cannot do it outside the system.”
Masing said he and other Dayak leaders were in the opposition for seven years (1987-1994), and they soon realised they could not help the Dayak community from the other side of the political fence.
Thus, they decided to re-join BN. Masing, who is also Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation, also advised Dayaks to emulate the Chinese by putting greater emphasis on their children’s education.
“Let’s learn from the Chinese. They put greater emphasis on the education of their children.”
On NCR land, he advised the land owners to make it more productive in order to earn enough money to ensure their children get better education.
“It’s only through education that we can have better deals in all fields, either in the civil service or in the private sector.”
Masing also revealed that the chief minister had set up a special committee, led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, to ensure fairness in the state’s civil service.
On his visit to Rumah Akai, he said he visited them because he wanted to fulfil his promise of paying them a visit if he were appointed a deputy chief minister.
During the ceremony, Masing announced an allocation of RM21,500 for the 43-door longhouse folk and RM7,000 for their women’s guild.
Similarly, Samalaju assemblyman Majang Renggie, who also spoke, announced RM10,000 for them.