KUCHING: Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom has called on the Dayak community in Sarawak to put aside their affiliations when it comes to Dayak unity as the race needs to move forward together.

Speaking during the 8th SDNU President’s Cup badminton tournament closing ceremony here on Monday night, he said that it is high time that Dayaks think about getting united with each other and come up with ways to do things together.

Citing the badminton tournament as an example, he said although it is called the President’s Cup, it does not mean that taking part in the tournament is a way to voice support for the SDNU president.

“It just happens that the tournament is called the President’s Cup tournament. I don’t see people playing in the tournament being one of the ways to voice their support for the president per se. This is because anyone can become SDNU president and those who play in the tournament are playing in the tournament in the name of SDNU and not the president,” Mawan, who is also Pakan assemblyman pointed out.

He hoped that members of the  Dayak community would  get rid of such mindset if they want to see the community moving forward.

Meanwhile during the ceremony, Mawan said that SDNU is currenty preparing for its coming triennial general meeting (TGM). He directed the body supreme council members to hold a meeting on Sept 25 here to fix a date and venue for the TGM.

Apart from that he also commented that all SDNU leaders should be ready for more activities in the future as even though SDNU is not active in the past, it does not mean that it will not be active in the future.

“Among the things I plan to do is to meet the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg). We will pay
courtesy call on him as we hope that SDNU will continue to become a reputable organisation for many years to come,” said Mawan.

Also present at the closing ceremony were Assistant Minister of Industries and Investment Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, Tamin assemblyman and SDNU treasurer-general Christopher Gira Sambang, Serakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) president Dato Alice Jawan who is also SDNU secretary general, SDNU vice president Churchill Edward Drem and Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) Kuching branch chairman Datuk Paduka Anthony Nait Mani. Nait, a SDNU supreme council member was also the tournament honorary organising chairman.