WELCOME: Liwan (left) arrives at the gathering. Mering is on right.
KUCHING: The Orang Ulu community living in Kuching and Samarahan have called on the state government to appoint a penghulu for them.
Sarawak Kayan Association Kuching branch chairman Mering Wan and Sarawak Kenyah National Association Kuching branch chairman Lucas Kalang presented their request to Assistant Minister of Culture and Heritage Liwan Lagang during a gathering on Sunday.
Mering told The Borneo Post a community leader is necessary to enhance communication between the community and the government.
He said this could enable some 4,000 members to take more active roles in the state’s social development.
“Over the past few years, we have organised activities to develop Orang Ulu Neighbourhood Action Groups, in which we agree on priorities with the local neighbours of other races to foster understanding and relationships,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Liwan called on members of the community to prioritise education.
“We have observed in our midst that those communities who have acquired enough knowledge through education have become successful professionals in the fields of business, science and technology.”
The gathering was to celebrate the Sarawak Kayan Association Kuching branch’s 10th anniversary.