Dusit to Dayak leaders in the govt: Use your power wisely to help the community

Story and pictures by James Belayong,

Postgraduate university student

KUCHING, June 20, 2015 - Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) president Dr Dusit Jaul explained he is critical of Dayak leaders in the government who are in a position of power but do little to help the Dayak community, in the fields of culture, education, job and business opportunities.

"If they have used their powers given to them wisely, then Dayak non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have no reasons to exist and mushroom," he said at the launch of the three-day Dayak Cultural Festival held at the Dayak Bidayuh National Association building at Kumpang Road, Off Ong Tiang Swee Road here today.

133 Penan families in Lusong Laku to benefit from iM Sarawak wet paddy cultivation

KUCHING,  June 20, 2015  – Some 133 Penan families in Lusong Laku, Belaga will benefit from an iM Sarawak wet paddy cultivation project that will be due for harvesting at the end of the year.

The project, which is a collaborative partnership between iM Sarawak, the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture,  State Department of Agriculture and Ceria Group, aims to assist in the food sufficiency problem faced by the Penan community here.

The MR263 seedlings used are expected to gain much higher yield as compared to the hill paddy that the community used to plant. In addition, they will now also be able to harvest twice a year as compared to the once a year harvest of the hill paddy.