Minos (right) and others look on as his wife, Datin Emy (second from right), presents Pandelela with a framed photo.
BAU: The ‘Pandelela spirit’, inspired by national diving queen Pandelela Rinong, should be used to spur socio-economic developments, especially in the rural areas.
Bung Bratak Heritage Association (BBHA) president Dato Peter Minos, who said this, opined it was applicable not only in sports but in all sectors, too.
He said there was no reason for others not to be able to achieve global success if they had the Pandelela spirit to do what they desired.
“Pandelela Rinong has amply shown that it can be done if the will and spirit to reach the top is there. Now is the time to think how to plant and get the Pandelela spirit to be germinated in each and every of our rural folk,” he said at a thanksgiving dinner organised by BBHA for Pandelela at her father’s village— Kampung Jugan—near here on Saturday.
The village’s hall was packed to the brim, including by people from Kuching and Lundu. They had wanted to give Pandelela a heroine’s welcome for her success in winning a silver medal in the just-concluded Rio Olympics.
The 23-year-old created history four years ago as the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal when she dived to a bronze at the London Olympics.
Minos, who is also Samarahan Walikota, said it all boiled down to becoming self reliant and learning how to outwit adversities and to use modern ideas and expertise meet all challenges.
“Despite coming from a very humble rural background with physical hardships and difficulties, Pandelela became an Olympian and a heroine and icon for Sarawak and Malaysia.”
He observed that many rural folk relied too much on government for assistance and rarely fought hard for self progress and development.
“When the syndrome of relying too much on the government for everything sets in and take root, the rural people cannot possibly go up or go far.
“They may even retrogress in all aspects. This is the big worry and dilemma facing all agents and participants in rural development in all developing nations.”
At the gathering, Minos announced that one of the two longhouses at the proposed Bung Bratak Heritage Centre (BBHC) would be named after Pandelela.
Meanwhile, Pandelela, in her short speech, thanked all Sarawakians, particularly the Bidayuh community, for supporting her when she was competing in Rio.
She later signed up as a Green Ribbon Association ambassador.
Present were her parents, Pamg Joheng and Hartini Lamim, and Kuching Division Bidayuh Temenggong Austin Dimin.