http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/10/16/focus/12271670&sec=focus
Sunday October 16, 2005
Prominent Kelabit
IF there is any Bumiputera community that can be proud of its achievements, it has to be the Kelabit of Sarawak. Ask Henry Lian Aran and he will tell you that the Kelabit are probably the most literate indigenous in Malaysia.
“I would say that at least 90% of the Kelabit are literate. This is because most attended adult classes well after they left school,” he said.
Based on some estimates, about 10% of the estimated 5,000 Kelabit have obtained diplomas, degrees, post-graduate degrees and professional qualifications. At least another 1,000 have sat for their Form Five examinations.
Apart from Henry Lian Aran, the other notable veteran Kelabit are Pemanca Ngimat Ayu, the first qualified “Ulu Dresser” (hospital assistant), Penghulu Henry Jala, a veteran teacher, Inspector Bala Palaba and Inspector Kuda Ditta, the first Sarawakian to compete in the Olympics (in Tokyo) and Police Sgt Ngalinuh Bala, the only Kelabit to be awarded the Seri Pahlawan (SP), the nation’s highest medal for bravery during the Communist insurgency in Sarawak.
Over the last 30 years the Kelabit have produced their own bona fide doctors including gynaecologist Dr Roland Dom Matu and Dr Philip Raja, a paediatric cardiologist (the son of Sina Raja Ngatan), Dr Samuel Walter who is working in Ireland, Dr Paul Ngalap who is with the Miri General Hospital and Dr Bawih Raja Puun, the first female Kelabit doctor. Dr Philip's sister Luli is a chemical engineer.
Jane Lian Labang – general manager of the Sarawak Cultural Village in Damai and married to Tillai Bala a Universiti Malaya graduate attached to the Sarawak Education Department – said: “A growing number of Kelabit have taken an interest in medicine. My niece Sasha Mohan (the daughter of Datuk Dr A. Jai Mohan and Datin Pearl Masna) will qualify as a doctor in a year or two.”
Four of Inspector Bala Palaba's daughters are graduates, namely Supang (a judge in Kuching), Mary (a Universiti Malaya graduate), Doris (a Universiti Malaya graduate and MBA from Curtin University, Australia) and Poline (a master’s graduate with Unimas who is pursuing her PhD). Another daughter, Esta, is completing her bachelor’s degree in filming at Unimas.
Another police Inspector Walter Wak has also done his community proud as his son Dr Samuel Walter is specialising in emergency medicine in Ireland while Dr Gabriel Walter has a PhD in electrical engineering and is specialising in the development of lasers.
The top Kelabit Sarawak civil servant is Miri Resident Ose Murang from Long Peluan. The late Datuk Marcus Raja who was killed in a helicopter crash near Bario in July 2004 together with six others, was a successful businessman and former President of Rurum Kelabit Sarawak.
TAMAH BULAN
A war veteran who was honoured with the Chief Minister’s award four years ago for having produced the largest number of graduates — Dr Rami who is a law lecturer at Universiti Malaya, Lucy who has a master’s in education, Lipang and Laura who have forestry degrees from UPM, and Solomon, a theology graduate who is now deputy president of the Sidang Injil Borneo (formerly called Borneo Evangelical Mission).
HENRY JALA
The penghulu or headman of the Kelabit (left) is the father of Idris Jala (inset), the new MAS managing director who will head the airline from Dec 1. Henry, a veteran teacher, and wife Pu’un Midang Aran (right) also have two other children who are graduates. Robin Jala is a Shell executive in Perth while Datin Garnette Jala (centre), is a former lecturer and MA graduate from the University of York in UK. She is married to the former Speaker of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Datuk Robert Jacob Ridu.
GERAWAT GALA
A top lawyer and the first Kelabit law graduate. The former Shell Malaysia general manager and general counsel is now practising on his own and is also the President of Rurum Kelabit Sarawak.
PEMANCA NGIMAT AYU
THE octogenarian, who was born in Pa Main, wanted to become a teacher but was sent to Kuching where he worked as a collector under Tom Harrison. However, after attending night classes, he decided to become a hospital assistant, and in 1953 set up the first clinic in Pa Main where there were 40 families (the village has since been abandoned). Ngimat, who was regarded as the ‘Doctor’, said: “We did everything, walking for days from Pa Main to Lio Matu (Baram) to collect medical supplies on a monthly basis. We brought along 20 Kelabit porters to help. “I also trekked to remote villages to treat patients for ailments such as dysentery, pneumonia and malaria. I prescribed antibiotics, gave injections, pulled teeth out and stitched wounds... but rarely had to operate on a patient.”
