NEW BIDAYUH TEMENGGONG: Manyin (right) presenting the appointment letter to Dimin at the ceremony yesterday. — Jeffery Mostapha photo
KUCHING: Newly appointed Bidayuh Temenggong for Kuching Division Austin Dimin Niyon wants the government to seriously consider stipulating and enforcing minimum qualification for community leaders.
He said this is because besides being the best agents for change, community leaders need to be proactive, knowledgeable and at least have some experience in administration to be more effective.
“Not only that, the candidates need to be educated but at the same time they should also be dedicated. As such it will be good that selection of community leaders, particularly village headmen or chieftains, is based on certain criteria.
“Only by doing so will we have a good line-up of proactive and dynamic community leaders to serve the people on the ground,” he said.
He stated this during the presentation of his appointment letter as the new Kuching Division Bidayuh Temenggong to replace Datuk Stephen Jussem who had served for the past 15 years.
In the simple but significant ceremony held at the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) headquarters here yesterday, Dimin said he felt honoured with the appointment and pledged that he would continue the legacy left by his predecessor and also see how he could improve in certain areas.
“With this appointment, I would like to personally thank the Right Honourable Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud for the confidence and trust he has in me.
“In return, I will try to give the very best I can by working together with the three Pemancas, 14 Penghulus and 194 village headmen under my charge for the betterment of the Bidayuh community and other members of the society as a whole,” he said.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Temenggong, who was also present at the occasion, said the role and responsibility of community leaders were not as easy as they seemed or thought to be.
Revealing that he went through many kinds of challenges as the paramount chief for the Bidayuh community in Kuching, Bau and Lundu districts over the past 15 years, Dimin said his biggest test was to get the people united and live peacefully and harmoniously with each other.
Among those present at the occasion were Infrastructure Development Minister and DBNA advisor Dato Sri Michael Manyin, Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos, Deputy State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Assistant Public Health Minister Dr Jerip Susil, Kuching Resident Abdul Rahman Sebli Sanusi, DBNA president Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and several other Bidayuh community leaders.