Elia Bit
KUCHING: Penan Elia Bit has a very big ambition. She wants to be a media mogul one day, for many good reasons.
This 24-year-old lass from Long Lapon in Baram is sick and tired of the many biased views the general public have about her community. That is why she aimed to tap the power of the media to correct negative perceptions and bring her people to the forefront of the society.
“It hurts when fellow students asked me whether the Penans still live on trees. I want the people to know we do not live a nomadic life anymore,” she told reporters after receiving an education grant at the Interhill-Petipun Scholarship Award Ceremony here yesterday.
“There is a need to correct such negative perceptions. There are lots of things that the public do not know about the Penans. The public perception that Penans are neither interested nor capable of progress is wrong.”
Elia’s dreams may come true for she is doing well academically, and may soon be the second Penan master’s degree graduate. She is currently pursuing her masters in Media and Information Warfare Studies at UiTM Shah Alam, and is expected to complete her studies next year.
The first Penan with a master’s degree is Azuriaty Atang from Kampung Baru in Suai. She obtained her master’s in Human Capital Management from University Malaysia Sabah in 2010, and is now working as a management lecturer with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
Elia is the eldest of two siblings. She studied at SK Long Lapok and SMK Bakong before wrapping up her Form 6 studies with SMK Luar Bandar Miri. She has a Degree in Linguistic from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
“I may be the second Penan who managed to pursue higher learning to a master’s degree level, but I strongly believe I will not be the last. With ample opportunities and stronger awareness within the community on the importance of education, there will be more Penan youths who will succeed in their studies.
“Sometimes, the public might not see our potential, maybe due to us being the minority. I know my people very well, and they are very intelligent and smart. We have the same thinking capabilities like other races,” said Elia.
She said she fervently believed in the power of the media to increase society’s awareness about her Penan people.
Citing the rape of Penan women as an example, she said the media played an important role to reveal the real situation and to uphold the rights of all Penan women.
Thirteen Penans received education grants yesterday. The programme was initiated by the Interhill Group of Companies with the Sarawak Tipun Penan Development Association (Petipun) for this year. Since its establishment in 2009, fifty-eight Penan students had benefited from this initiative.
Another recipient is Cristie Sophie Ising, 21, from Bintulu. She is pursuing her degree in Environmental Research at Universiti Malaya.
Cristie advised Penans to always work hard to ensure success in education.
She aspires to be an environment officer so that she could play a significant role in the state’s sustainable forest management.
“There is a need to take care of the environment as we build infrastructure and opening up land in the name of development,” she said.
Recipient Madau Rarak, 23, from Long Bangan in Baram, echoed Elia’s predicament that financial constraints was one of the main challenges facing Penans who wanted to pursue higher education.
He is pursuing his diploma in Public Administration at UiTM Kota Samarahan, and advised Penans to never give up on education and to always strive for success.
Madau aspires to become a district officer to help his community. He believed education would enable him to make a difference to his people.
Cristie Sophie Ising
Madau Rarak