Dawos (fron row, sixth left), Kawin (third right) and Nissom (second right) in a group photograph with the Bisapug beauty winners, the organising committee members and other guests.
KUCHING: Bidayuh women have been told to beware of sweet-talking foreign men who may trap them in illegal activities, including becoming drug mules.
The timely advice came from Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit, Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, who cited cases where Bidayuh women were tricked by African men into trafficking drugs.
“We do not want a repeat of such incidents and I wish to remind our Bidayuh women to be extra careful and not to be easily influenced by irresponsible foreigners,” said the Mambong MP at the 10th anniversary dinner of the Bisapug Association of Sarawak (BAS) at a restaurant here on Saturday night.
Dawos advised community leaders to take this matter seriously, and said Rela teams should be mobilised to investigate foreigners to know their purpose for entering their village.
“Chase them away if they are found to have bad intention,” he added.
In 2011, a Bidayuh woman from Kampung Seratau was caught with 1.5 kg of heroin in her luggage by Australian Customs at Melbourne airport. Not long after that, a nursing student from Kampung Annah Rais, Padawan, was arrested in Sydney for carrying drugs.
On another note, Dawos also advised the Bidayuh community to be united and strong in fighting for their rights.
He said the Bidayuh must equip themselves with the necessary knowledge and skills so that they are able to compete with other races in all fields.
“We don’t want to be left behind and that is why education is very important for us to march forward together with the other races,” he added.
At the function, Dawos pledged RM15,000 in government grant to BAS and promised another RM5,000 for the association’s acivities.
Meanwhile, BAS president Paul Kawin Pipo in his speech, said the association will focus its activities on education and culture in their efforts to produce more graduates among the Bisapug community as well as preserving their culture.
He said the focus is to get students from the Bisapug community to brace for their future by excelling in their studies.
On their annual beauty pageants (Dayung Pimaguh Bisapug), Paul said the event will be held once every two years. The Bisapug is a Bidayuh clan residing in four villages in Padawan, namely Kampung Simpok, Mundai, Sarig and Pesa.
Also present at the dinner were political secretary to the chief minister Datuk Wilfred Rata Nissom and presidents of respective Bidayuh clan associations.