» »Unlabelled » 3,000 Orang Ulus celebrate Gawai with PM BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

17:21:00

3,000 Orang Ulus celebrate Gawai with PM BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

3,000 Orang Ulus celebrate Gawai with PM

Posted: 03 Jun 2014 05:49 PM PDT

by Jenifer Laeng reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 4, 2014, Wednesday

MIRI: About 3,000 Orang Ulus from the Kenyah, Kayan, Berawan, Penan, Sebob and Kelabit communities from over 30 villages across Baram constituency celebrated Gawai Dayak with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at Kampung Long Silat in Ulu Baram on Monday.

Those who came from other areas such as Kuching, Bintulu, and Belaga had travelled to the venue over the weekend as the journey took up to eight hours by four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle through logging roads from here.

Most of them wore their traditional costumes to show the uniqueness of their culture to visitors joining the celebration.

Najib arrived in Long Silat for his third visit to the Baram area around 10am by helicopter accompanied by Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun and Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Water Supply) Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran.

He was greeted by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Baram Member of Parliament Anyi Ngau, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau and other community leaders before being lifted on a Kenyah longboat custom-made in honour of his visit to the main stage.

Najib was then welcomed by the Kelabit people from Bario, who presented him with pineapple juice from the highlands.

He was also given the honour to conduct the sacred Kenyah Pu'un Pengudip or Tree of Life ceremony, where he used a blowpipe symbolically.

Najib also received the Kenyah name Balan Nyanding – the greatest Orang Ulu (Kenyah) warrior.

He also planted rubber seedlings at the village before leaving at 2pm for Rumah Jarek Klambu in Lambir.

Print Friendly

Prime Minister’s pledge on royalty request gets top marks

Posted: 03 Jun 2014 04:22 PM PDT

KUCHING: Two state BN leaders yesterday welcomed Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's assurance that the federal government would consider Sarawak's request for higher oil and gas royalty.

Asajaya assemblyman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Sarawak, being a big state and a major contributor to the national coffer, deserved to be given more funds to build the needed infrastructure in many areas.

"We do not want to lag behind the other states be it in terms of roads, education, utilities, housing and others," he said when contacted yesterday.

The motion for a hike in oil and gas royalty from the present five per cent to 20 per cent was unanimously passed in the State Legislative Assembly last month. It was a historic moment of sorts as both sides of the political divide supported the motion.

During his speech at the Malaysia Gawai Dayak Open House on Monday, the prime minister said the federal government would "give utmost consideration on this matter (request)."

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Development, said the royalty agreement was signed in 1974, and as such it was time for a review.

"It cannot be static. On the other hand, the good federal-state government relationship and political stability need to be maintained for the state and nation to prosper.

"Barisan Nasional (BN) has been able to maintain this stability, and it should be preserved."

Karim added that gambling on the inexperienced opposition to administer the state was "too big a gamble to take."

"However, good check and constructive criticisms from the opposition is much welcomed."

State BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chairman Abdullah Saidol too said the positive feedback from Najib was much welcomed, and hope the request would be approved as the state needed more money to develop its rural areas.

"(But) I think the discussion on this matter will take time," he said when contacted yesterday.

Abdullah, who is also chief political secretary to the chief minister and Semop assemblyman, stressed that the difficulties faced by the rural folks, who are mostly Bumiputeras, should not be taken lightly as they are the 'fixed deposit' of the BN.

"We just want to be treated fairly and equally with our partners who together formed the Federation of Malaysia. We only claim rights under the constitution. The people of Sarawak are mostly proud to be Malaysians."

Print Friendly

Indian national believed to have committed suicide in rented house

Posted: 03 Jun 2014 04:21 PM PDT

LIMBANG: An Indian national was found dead and believed to have hanged himself in front of the kitchen door of his rented house in Limbang Housing yesterday.

Ryoskhan Kose Avardeen, 29, was found dead by his neighbour at 5.40am, who alerted the police.

Limbang district police chief Superintendent Mohd Bukhori Saffai said police classified the case as sudden death adding that there was no sign of injuries.

"The body has been sent to the Limbang Hospital for post-mortem while the Indian High Commission has been informed through Interpol," he said yesterday.

He added that the victim, who was married had previously work for one year with an oil company in Bintulu and Limbang and had worked as an engineer of a gas station at Long Napir only a month ago before the incident.

Police are still investigating the case.

Print Friendly
We encourage commenting on our stories to give readers a chance to express their opinions; please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. While the comments here reflect the views of the readers, they are not necessarily that of Borneo Post Online. Borneo Post Online reserves the right not to publish or to remove comments that are offensive or volatile. Please read the Commenting Rules.

‘Thousands making a beeline to Teras’

Posted: 03 Jun 2014 04:21 PM PDT

SIBU: A Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) worker claimed yesterday that thousands of people had signed up as members ever since a rally was held here on May 20.

He said these new recruits included SUPP members and youths who had no political affiliations.

"We are providing another political platform in Sarawak BN. We have distributed more than 10,000 membership forms in the (central) region, and we have received thousands back.

"We are still on the move," said the party worker.

He claimed that on June 1, more than 300 villagers of Paradom joined Teras during a gathering in the downstream village. The completed forms were then handed to former SUPP Sibu chief Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh by one Ting Hoong Hua on behalf of the villagers.

Just a week ago, he said a few hundred villagers in Engkilo also joined Teras.

"In the next few days, another few hundred people from Sungei Bidut will follow suit.

"The membership applications keep pouring in. We are processing them now. Therefore, we cannot give an exact number of the new member applications."

The party worker said the applicants included people of all ages.

"There are SUPP veterans among us because they are tired of the oppression by SUPP party central after the heat of the party election's irregularities from 14 branches kept boiling since three years ago."

He claimed these members felt down-hearted to see leaders in central Sarawak being sacrificed, and leaders from party central had even gone all out to prevent Wong from becoming a minister.

"If Dato Sri Wong has not been in the (state) cabinet, who would have taken the initiative to help the state government build University College of Technology of Sarawak (UCTS) in Sibu?"

On the May 20 rally, he said it was made clear at the gathering of about 2,500 people that the people of Sibu wanted Wong to be a minister.

"We want Dato Sri Wong to play a leading political role in the government for the sake of the Chinese community and for all people".

Print Friendly

Cops get their man after vanishing act in the river

Posted: 03 Jun 2014 04:19 PM PDT

by Gary Adit reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 4, 2014, Wednesday

KUCHING: The man who rammed a volunteer policeman and then made his escape by jumping into the Sarawak River last week, was nabbed by police when he 'surfaced' at a budget hotel in Palm Road yesterday.

The 21-year-old, originally from Sibu, was arrested at the hotel around 11.45am by a team from Central Police Station, led by officer-in-charge Inspector Ricky Poh, following a tip-off that he was holed-up there with a male accomplice.

The accomplice, a 21-year-old from Taman Malihah here, later led police to a Honda motorcycle parked in front of the hotel, which had been reported stolen on May 29 and fitted with false licence plates.

During the raid, a handbag containing traditional Iban female clothing and decorative jewellery was also found in the room, indicating the pair may have committed another crime prior to their arrest.

District police chief ACP Roslan Bek Ahmad, who confirmed the arrests, said the Sibu-born suspect was the man who rammed a stolen motorcycle into a volunteer policeman last Thursday after being stopped along LebuhJawa near the Kuching Waterfront.

"He admitted to the crime and told us that he hid behind a pillar in the river to avoid detection prior to swimming to the wharf at KampungSinjan and escaping," said Roslan, adding that both suspects also tested positive for drugs.

The pair has since been remanded pending further investigation.

Print Friendly

Unidentified body discovered in monsoon drain

Posted: 03 Jun 2014 04:19 PM PDT

KUCHING: The body of a unidentified man was found inside a water-logged monsoon drain near Batu Kawah New Township here late yesterday afternoon.

The deceased with no personal identification was found by a passerby who happened to look inside the drain while walking past the area around 5pm.

Police personnel and firemen were summoned to extricate the body from the 10-foot-deep drain prior to sending it to Sarawak General Hospital mortuary.

A source disclosed that the deceased, who had long hair and looked to be in his 40s, could be a vagrant judging by his somewhat unkempt appearance.

It was unclear how long the body was inside the drain before it was discovered, or whether a missing person report had been lodged with the police.

Print Friendly
We encourage commenting on our stories to give readers a chance to express their opinions; please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. While the comments here reflect the views of the readers, they are not necessarily that of Borneo Post Online. Borneo Post Online reserves the right not to publish or to remove comments that are offensive or volatile. Please read the Commenting Rules.