Mangan (front row, fourth left) and advisor Dr Benedict Poris (front row, third left) in a group photograph with the exco members.
KUCHING: Executive comittee members of Biperoh Association Kuching (BAK) are now working hard to have the community’s own centre to be located at Kampung Garung in Jalan Puncak Borneo.
The association represents the Biperoh, a Bidayuh sub-group found in eight villages in Penrissen and one in Padawan.
Its president Mangan Ngandok said the whole project would cost RM3.2 million, including RM2.7 million for construction cost.
Mangan revealed this during the association’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Sunday.
He said site dumping for the proposed development had already been completed several months ago with total cost of more than RM40,000.
He said the centre, when completed, would have a multipurpose hall, a longhouse and a ‘baruk’ (traditional Bidayuh gathering area) which would house a mini museum and the association’s office.
Mangan said with the centre, the association would be able to hold its various activities and its weekend market there.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister of Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil praised the BAK for the proposed centre, which he said would be a great benefit to the Bidayuh community, in particular the Biperoh group.
He said the centre would be one of the tourism attractions in the area as it would also have a tourism information centre.
Dr Jerip, who is a Biperoh himself, has so far contributed RM65,000 for the development of the project and said he would assist BAK to gather more funds towards this mission.
Thus, he advised the association to get all the necessary approvals and documents from the relevant authorities, including the local council and Land and Survey Department.