MIRI: The Sarawak National Party is manipulating the famous Iban slogan of ‘Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban’ to stir emotions, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party vice-president Sylvester Entri Muran said yesterday.
Entri said SNAP had printed the slogan — which literally means “as long as there is life, there is fight” — on calendars for distribution to incite the people to resist government efforts to bring development.
“If their slogan is “Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban,” our slogan in Barisan Nasional is “Agi Idup, Agi Mansang (as long as there is life, there is development),” he told reporters at a ground breaking for a new concept longhouse at Bakong, about 40 kilometres from here. Sarawak Housing and Urban Development Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg performed the ceremony.
Entri, who is the Marudi incumbent, said that SNAP president Edwin Dundang Bugak was eyeing the seat and was distributing the calendars as part of his campaign strategy.
“What the Barisan Nasional distributes will ensure that assets of the people would be inherited by their next generation,” he said, referring to the issuance of land titles to the longhouse folks involved in the pioneer project.
Entri said the project costing about RM2.28 million reflected the government’s ability to deliver the goods. He said the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas, recently approved RM1.3 million for the improvement of the drainage system for eight longhouses in Bakong. — Bernama