SIBU, Sept 18 2026: A two-day workshop was held on the "Sibu Melanau *Adet* (Customary Laws): Study and Collection of Information on Miscellaneous Customs," and was attended by Melanau community leaders and headmen from the Sibu and Matu districts which ended today.
Sarawak Council for Native Customs and Traditions (MAIS) head Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat explained that the workshop served as a platform to engage with grassroots leaders who are knowledgeable about customs, aiming to gather input and refine explanatory notes regarding Melanau *Adet*.
"This is because the individuals involved in these discussions possess extensive experience and a mastery of the knowledge, principles, values, and customary procedures shaped by the experiences of past generations," he said, adding that the grassroots leaders serve as authentic and authoritative sources regarding Melanau customs.
Dr Neilson noted that MAIS does not merely safeguard customs but also preserves the knowledge ecosystem that shapes the culture, traditions, and identity of Sarawak's communities.
"MAIS acts as a bridge connecting past, present, and future generations and as a medium for the intergenerational transfer of knowledge regarding customs and culture.
"Experts in customary law bear the responsibility of sharing their knowledge and experience with the younger generation; without successors, the chain of knowledge regarding customs is broken, ultimately leading to the erosion of those customs.
"Indirectly, we also bear responsibility should knowledge concerning these customs eventually be lost," he stressed.
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