http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/10/27/include-social-component-in-eia-study/
Posted on October 27, 2012, Saturday
KUCHING: The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study on the Ba
Kelalan-Bario road project should include a social component to document
and identify cultural and historical sites.
Former Ba Kelalan
assemblyman Datuk Nelson Balang Rining said the area surrounding the
project was a former settlement of the Lun Bawang and Kelabit
communities.
“Features like Batu Sinuped Perupun, Batu Nangan,
Batu Barut, Beliau and Abang are found in the area apart from burial
sites and old ruins of long houses. There is a request for the relevant
agency to couduct such study,” he said when contacted yesterday.
On
Oct 23, Balang who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party
secretary-general also responded to complaints of locals that the road
project would affect the water sources of six villages and a primary
school in the area.
The locals said destruction of the water
catchment area at Sungai Muda would contaminate their drinking water,
and water used for their paddy fields and livestock.
Balang
pointed out then that the EIA study must be done as soon as possible and
before the government proceed with the construction work. The EIA study
should be conducted to make sure the area was not adversely affected.
Construction of the RM42 million Ba Kelalan-Bario road started on Oct 1 and is expected to be completed by September 2014.
The
Royal Army Engineers Regiment is already in Ba Kelalan to carry out the
project under the Blue Ocean Strategy – an extension of the army’s Jiwa
Murni programme. About 2,000 villagers from Punan Kelalan, Long Muda,
Long Kumap, Long Langai, Long Lemutut, Buduk Nur and an international
award-winning school SK Ba kelalan will be affected by the project.
Current
assemblyman Baru Bian claimed that the EIA study had not been conducted
yet, so called on the government to listen to the needs of Ba Kelalan
folks.
He added that since there was no extinguishment of NCR land
status in the area, the (road) route did not have to be fixed and could
be modified according to the people’s wish.
Baru who is State
Parti Keadilan Rakyat chief, said they were not against development but
want the road to benefit the people, not the contractors.
He went
on to say that the villagers did not even mind sub-standard roads as
long as one of their main water catchment areas in Sungai Muda was not
destroyed.
“We have sub-standard roads from Lawas to Ba Kelalan
but we don’t mind as long there’s a road. I want to make it clear that
the people do not want their water catchment area and jungle destroyed
because it is the source of their livelihood,” Baru said.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
On the road
http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/10/21/248759/
by Chang Yi. Posted on October 21, 2012, Sunday
Penan mothers and early childhood learning
THE tebung (hollow wood drum) of Bario sounds the wake-up call at 5.30am like clockwork everyday. And indeed it is the clock of the Highlands.
The
beautiful rainforest sound resonates through the forest, rousing the
late wakers among the fauna as well as the little children of Bario Asal
and the surrounding villages.
The tebung (at least one in each Highland village) also belts out the same wake-up call in the other settlements although not all at 5.30am like Bario. For example, at Pa Adang (a Penan settlement) in the upper reaches of the Lawas valley, the wake-up call is at 6am.
Usually, by this time, many Penan mothers from Aral Dalan will be walking along the lonely path to Bario Asal where their children attend pre-school and primary classes. They walk for one hour (from six to seven) and surprisingly – to many urbanites – will arrive at school fresh and happy. This is a feat not many city people can easily fathom.
After placing their children safely at school, the Penan mothers walk for another hour home. Their next journey (on foot) to Bario is at 11am to pick up their children. After that, it’s another hour’s walk home. Walking long distances is part of Penan life from time immemorial.
Pre-school education in Sarawak and Malaysia in general provides a simple meal cooked by the teachers and teaching assistants. Hence, the Penan mothers do not have to bring lunch packs to their children. Most of the Penan children are underweight. Some even look just three years old – not five!
According to medical doctors serving in Sarawak, Penan children may be small due to various factors like lack of proper nutrition and good healthcare. Genetically, the Penans are small in stature and very fine-boned.
In the early mornings at the Bario Highlands, the temperatures can be as cool as 23 degrees celcius or lower. And it used to be even lower when luxuriant tall trees covered the mountains and no roads were known to the Penans.
The Penan mothers and children who walk to Bario, wear wind breakers or warm woollen clothes. And some of the children are so used to being barefooted that they don’t necessarily wear shoes (most cannot afford shoes anyway).
The
mothers I met said they were from Aral Dalan, a Kelabit village now
giving them generous space and shelter. Some of these Penans are
actually building their huts near the National Park of Pulong Tau. Being
nomadic in the past, they cannot say exactly where their original
settlement was because they were free to roam and hunt a long time ago.
So far, upon settling down, they are co-existing well with their Kelabit neighbours in Aral Dalan and Bario Asal.
The state government and its various agencies have long been finding ways to identify suitable areas for the Penans, “locate” them and “resettle” them like at Batu Bungan in the Baram.
Geographically, the Penans used to be known or classified as nomadic tribes who moved from place to place in the north eastern parts of Sarawak and the upper reaches of the Limbang and Lawas Rivers. Further south, they were found in the Kelabit Highlands and the Belaga region or the upper Rajang.
Last nomadic tribes
Today, some remnant groups are known to be the last of the nomadic tribes of Sarawak. Several groups have settled down and are receiving good education. About 100 Penans have obtained diplomas and degrees since the formation of Malaysia while one or two are already millionaires.
Bario is a special case because more than 20 Penan families have settled at Aral Dalan, a village about one hour from Bario. According to some villagers, the Penans have moved to this part because their children can attend school at neaby Bario. Besides, the environment near the National Park of Pulong Tau also seems most viable to their lifestyle.
Young Penan parents are sending their children to pre-primary and primary schools in Bario. Moreover, many are fairly comfortable with the kind Kelabits who share the same religious beliefs.
The Penan parents also like the primary school teachers from all parts of the state – Kapit and Sibu, for example. According to a little Penan boy, these teachers are not only caring but can also teach very well.
For
the very first time, they are interacting and having good social life
in school. Furthermore, they can broaden their outlook by participating
in everyday learning in the classrooms with children from the other
communities such as Malays and even Bidayuhs (children from the Army
Camp at Bario).
Several children at the Bario Primary School are of mixed parentage – Kelabit-Chinese and Lun-Bawang-Kelabit.
It is from their primary school experience that the Penan children are able to have a wider world view.
One young Penan girl, now working temporarily at the primary school, said she hoped to get a permanent job with the government. This, she added, would give her and her family a steady income.
She is looking forward to the day when she either goes for further studies or gets a permanent job with the government. She is not afraid to leave Bario for other parts of the world.
According
to a professional in Marudi, many of the myths about the Penans are not
being debunked. He noted that with better government facilities being
provided in the remote areas, more and more Penans are settling down.
Penan parents now realise the importance of keeping their children in school throughout the whole school year as opposed to the common perception that Penan parents will take their children out of school during the fruit season.
Perhaps, this is still being done by some Penan parents in the remotest parts of the state but it is very rare because of changes to their lifestyle, good advice from the community leaders and better educational facilities provided by the government in the interior.
More and more Penans want their children to be educated and get permanent jobs as teachers and government servants after leaving school.
As one Penan mother puts it: That’s why I’m willing to walk four hours everyday to send my two children to school. It’s their future. It’s also my future.
by Chang Yi. Posted on October 21, 2012, Sunday
Penan mothers and early childhood learning
THE tebung (hollow wood drum) of Bario sounds the wake-up call at 5.30am like clockwork everyday. And indeed it is the clock of the Highlands.
FOR A BETTER FUTURE: A Penan mother walking her child to school in the early hours of the morning.
The tebung (at least one in each Highland village) also belts out the same wake-up call in the other settlements although not all at 5.30am like Bario. For example, at Pa Adang (a Penan settlement) in the upper reaches of the Lawas valley, the wake-up call is at 6am.
Usually, by this time, many Penan mothers from Aral Dalan will be walking along the lonely path to Bario Asal where their children attend pre-school and primary classes. They walk for one hour (from six to seven) and surprisingly – to many urbanites – will arrive at school fresh and happy. This is a feat not many city people can easily fathom.
After placing their children safely at school, the Penan mothers walk for another hour home. Their next journey (on foot) to Bario is at 11am to pick up their children. After that, it’s another hour’s walk home. Walking long distances is part of Penan life from time immemorial.
Pre-school education in Sarawak and Malaysia in general provides a simple meal cooked by the teachers and teaching assistants. Hence, the Penan mothers do not have to bring lunch packs to their children. Most of the Penan children are underweight. Some even look just three years old – not five!
According to medical doctors serving in Sarawak, Penan children may be small due to various factors like lack of proper nutrition and good healthcare. Genetically, the Penans are small in stature and very fine-boned.
In the early mornings at the Bario Highlands, the temperatures can be as cool as 23 degrees celcius or lower. And it used to be even lower when luxuriant tall trees covered the mountains and no roads were known to the Penans.
The Penan mothers and children who walk to Bario, wear wind breakers or warm woollen clothes. And some of the children are so used to being barefooted that they don’t necessarily wear shoes (most cannot afford shoes anyway).
WAITING FOR MUM: A Penan boy waiting for his mother to pick him up from school.
So far, upon settling down, they are co-existing well with their Kelabit neighbours in Aral Dalan and Bario Asal.
The state government and its various agencies have long been finding ways to identify suitable areas for the Penans, “locate” them and “resettle” them like at Batu Bungan in the Baram.
Geographically, the Penans used to be known or classified as nomadic tribes who moved from place to place in the north eastern parts of Sarawak and the upper reaches of the Limbang and Lawas Rivers. Further south, they were found in the Kelabit Highlands and the Belaga region or the upper Rajang.
Last nomadic tribes
Today, some remnant groups are known to be the last of the nomadic tribes of Sarawak. Several groups have settled down and are receiving good education. About 100 Penans have obtained diplomas and degrees since the formation of Malaysia while one or two are already millionaires.
Bario is a special case because more than 20 Penan families have settled at Aral Dalan, a village about one hour from Bario. According to some villagers, the Penans have moved to this part because their children can attend school at neaby Bario. Besides, the environment near the National Park of Pulong Tau also seems most viable to their lifestyle.
Young Penan parents are sending their children to pre-primary and primary schools in Bario. Moreover, many are fairly comfortable with the kind Kelabits who share the same religious beliefs.
The Penan parents also like the primary school teachers from all parts of the state – Kapit and Sibu, for example. According to a little Penan boy, these teachers are not only caring but can also teach very well.
PART TIME JOB: This Penan girl is working temporarily for the primary school in Bario.
Several children at the Bario Primary School are of mixed parentage – Kelabit-Chinese and Lun-Bawang-Kelabit.
It is from their primary school experience that the Penan children are able to have a wider world view.
One young Penan girl, now working temporarily at the primary school, said she hoped to get a permanent job with the government. This, she added, would give her and her family a steady income.
She is looking forward to the day when she either goes for further studies or gets a permanent job with the government. She is not afraid to leave Bario for other parts of the world.
THUMBS-UP: These two Penan children walk long distances everyday to attend pre-school in Bario.
Penan parents now realise the importance of keeping their children in school throughout the whole school year as opposed to the common perception that Penan parents will take their children out of school during the fruit season.
Perhaps, this is still being done by some Penan parents in the remotest parts of the state but it is very rare because of changes to their lifestyle, good advice from the community leaders and better educational facilities provided by the government in the interior.
More and more Penans want their children to be educated and get permanent jobs as teachers and government servants after leaving school.
As one Penan mother puts it: That’s why I’m willing to walk four hours everyday to send my two children to school. It’s their future. It’s also my future.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
PhD student gives talk on role of design in cultures
http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/10/18/phd-student-gives-talk-on-role-of-design-in-cultures/
Posted on October 18, 2012, Thursday
KUCHING:
The Sarawak Museum Department yesterday organised a Heritage Talk where
speaker Lizette Reitsma spoke on the topic of ‘Preserving Traditional
Knowledge’ through her PhD project, which aims to explore the role of
design interventions as modes of oral history transfer between younger
people of indigenous communities.
The PhD student at the School of Design at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, who has an interest in designing for cultures, said that the project would take a design-led approach, aimed at carrying out research through designs.
The project, she said, can be as valuable for the communities as for the research and was also aimed at building an empathic relationship with the participants of the research, in order to fully be able to design for their needs, wishes and fantasies.
In view of this, Reitsma visited three different communities in Sarawak, namely Ba’kelalan, Long Lamai and Pa’Lungan, in order to explore their ideas on the proposed project.
“Several design objects were used during these visits in order to get to know the community as well as to explore the possibilities,” she said.
“Two of the three communities namely the Penan community in Long Lamai and the Kelabit community in Pa’Lungan seemed very enthusiastic about the project where I documented some of the activities that included photo taking by the communities and transferring of knowledge from one generation to another such as knitting and beading.”
She added that the project was also aimed at discovering whether the communities saw the project as beneficial for themselves.
Posted on October 18, 2012, Thursday
TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE: Reitsma showing the beadwork piece she made while carrying out her PhD project in Pa’Lungan.
The PhD student at the School of Design at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, who has an interest in designing for cultures, said that the project would take a design-led approach, aimed at carrying out research through designs.
The project, she said, can be as valuable for the communities as for the research and was also aimed at building an empathic relationship with the participants of the research, in order to fully be able to design for their needs, wishes and fantasies.
In view of this, Reitsma visited three different communities in Sarawak, namely Ba’kelalan, Long Lamai and Pa’Lungan, in order to explore their ideas on the proposed project.
“Several design objects were used during these visits in order to get to know the community as well as to explore the possibilities,” she said.
“Two of the three communities namely the Penan community in Long Lamai and the Kelabit community in Pa’Lungan seemed very enthusiastic about the project where I documented some of the activities that included photo taking by the communities and transferring of knowledge from one generation to another such as knitting and beading.”
She added that the project was also aimed at discovering whether the communities saw the project as beneficial for themselves.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Whispering Hope
http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/10/14/whispering-hope/
by Chang Yi. Posted on October 14, 2012, Sunday
A YOUNG Kelabit girl cried for days when she could not further her education in Marudi. Elsewhere, the Bario Government Secondary School had been set up and she was to join the first Form 1 batch in the new school with the rest of her Bario Primary 6 peers.
She
felt as if her dream of joining older relatives in Marudi and Miri were
dashed. However, three years later, upon completion of her Form 3 in
Bario, she moved further afield – to study at St Teresa’s School in
Kuching.
Her life from thence would be fairytale-like. And dearest to her heart, she was able to help her family in ways she never dreamed of. Instead of becoming a doctor herself, she married a doctor and not only brought up all her younger siblings but put them through college and university. Now, after bringing up her own two children it is time for her to do something for her community in the Bario Highlands.
This is the story of a Bario-born Kelabit lady, PDNR Datin Pearl Jai Mohan (PJK) and District Extension chairman (2012-2013) of Inner Wheel District 330. In West Malaysia, she is often mistaken for a North Indian lady because of her name and their unfamiliarity with the Kelabit ethnic group.
Recently, she and her friends went to Bario to carry out an Inner Wheel Whispering Hope project. They donated six large boxes of materials, including pencil cases and other items, to the Bario Primary School students.The excess luggage (for the donation) charged by MAS was RM300.
Headmistress Dora Tigang was delighted to host a special morning assembly to welcome the three Inner Wheel members – Pearl herself, Rokiah Abdul from the Kota Kinabalu branch and Florence Enau, president of Sarawak Inner Wheel. In Bario, they were joined by Inner Wheeler Joanna Joy.
The morning assembly gave the ladies the opportunity to speak from their hearts to the children.
Pearl told her own story of how she aimed high and how she has been able to give back to her beloved homeland.
Why was she giving pencils, for instance? When she was in primary school, she had to be creative in using pencils down to the last centimetre by using the stalk of ‘resam’ to extend her pencil. She had blisters in her little finger because she was writing with short pencils. Nowadays, she values pencils more than ever.
The disciplined primary school children, all sitting cross legged on the floor of the wooden Astaka (open assembly hall), were awestruck by her gracious presence and her short but effective speech.
Rokiah advised the students to study hard so that they could become pilots and doctors. She advised them to stay healthy and be active.
Florence,
who spoke in English, advised them to learn English and go far, saying
anyone could do this if they worked and studied hard and believed in
themselves.
According to Dora, the children were very good in both Bahasa Malaysia and English because they and their parents were very enthusiastic about learning English. Tourists who come to Bario also help to open the minds of the people to the outside world.
At the end of the assembly, the students showed their appreciation in the Bario student way – clap clap clap clap … muah muah muah muah.
Still barefoot
“Many of the Penan students are still not wearing shoes,” remarked the observant Pearl.
She was already thinking of how to send school shoes to them.
The Penan students, in particular at the primary school level, are boarders. School mothers or student hostel administrators look after them and give them a good boarding programme of food and accommodation.
Food is prepared by a local Kelabit cook in the employ of the Sarawak government who has worked here for six years. By 11 o’clock, he has already prepared a balanced meal of curry chicken and a local vegetable with fragrant rice. Rice is fresh from the farm whenever parents bring extra rice to share.
Lovely children
The ladies also visited the pre-school department and met the lovely little Penan and Kelabit children – almost all of them undersized and dressed in a variety of clothing.
The favourite garb was long pants with an overly long dress and a sweat shirt on top. Pink is definitely the ‘in’ colour for the girls and blue of various shades for the boys. The pre-school teachers see to their snacks and the cleanliness of the classroom. There are 28 of them. Many of these Penan kids have walked one hour with their mothers to the school and they do that for more than 200 days a year!
In a separate project, the Miri Inner Wheel Club, headed by Florence, made a special charity drive and collected items to be donated to the Penans in the village of Arul Dalan. Home essentials like kettles and cooking pots are very much needed by the Penans who live in Arul Dalan, a newly set up Penan settlement about one hour’s walking distance from Bario Asal. Other donations include baby clothes and even a parang. A great essential is canvas which the Penan villagers appreciate.
The Penan children need more clothes and perhaps even special tuition to help them master their lessons in the primary school.
The Penan pre-schoolers have to walk one hour to school and one hour back. Their mothers walk one hour to bring them to school, then one hour back to their homes to do their chores. After that, they walk another one hour to school again, then one more hour to bring their children back home.
It is no wonder these Penan women are pencil-slim. They walk four hours a day just to make sure their children are safe in school and are back home in time to be with the family. Many modern city women don’t do so much on their treadmills!
Pearl and her friends are definitely thinking of more ways in which the Inner wheelers can help. They might see another project coming to Bario in November.
by Chang Yi. Posted on October 14, 2012, Sunday
A YOUNG Kelabit girl cried for days when she could not further her education in Marudi. Elsewhere, the Bario Government Secondary School had been set up and she was to join the first Form 1 batch in the new school with the rest of her Bario Primary 6 peers.
NEW HOPE: Rokiah with the Penan children she met while they were walking to the school.
Her life from thence would be fairytale-like. And dearest to her heart, she was able to help her family in ways she never dreamed of. Instead of becoming a doctor herself, she married a doctor and not only brought up all her younger siblings but put them through college and university. Now, after bringing up her own two children it is time for her to do something for her community in the Bario Highlands.
This is the story of a Bario-born Kelabit lady, PDNR Datin Pearl Jai Mohan (PJK) and District Extension chairman (2012-2013) of Inner Wheel District 330. In West Malaysia, she is often mistaken for a North Indian lady because of her name and their unfamiliarity with the Kelabit ethnic group.
Recently, she and her friends went to Bario to carry out an Inner Wheel Whispering Hope project. They donated six large boxes of materials, including pencil cases and other items, to the Bario Primary School students.The excess luggage (for the donation) charged by MAS was RM300.
Headmistress Dora Tigang was delighted to host a special morning assembly to welcome the three Inner Wheel members – Pearl herself, Rokiah Abdul from the Kota Kinabalu branch and Florence Enau, president of Sarawak Inner Wheel. In Bario, they were joined by Inner Wheeler Joanna Joy.
CARING GESTURE: The Inner Wheel members handing over presents for the students of Bario Primary School to headmistress Dora.
Pearl told her own story of how she aimed high and how she has been able to give back to her beloved homeland.
Why was she giving pencils, for instance? When she was in primary school, she had to be creative in using pencils down to the last centimetre by using the stalk of ‘resam’ to extend her pencil. She had blisters in her little finger because she was writing with short pencils. Nowadays, she values pencils more than ever.
The disciplined primary school children, all sitting cross legged on the floor of the wooden Astaka (open assembly hall), were awestruck by her gracious presence and her short but effective speech.
Rokiah advised the students to study hard so that they could become pilots and doctors. She advised them to stay healthy and be active.
TEA BREAK: Having afternoon tea with Marilyn, sister of popular Kelabit doctor Dr Roland Mattu whose children are working in KL.
According to Dora, the children were very good in both Bahasa Malaysia and English because they and their parents were very enthusiastic about learning English. Tourists who come to Bario also help to open the minds of the people to the outside world.
At the end of the assembly, the students showed their appreciation in the Bario student way – clap clap clap clap … muah muah muah muah.
Still barefoot
“Many of the Penan students are still not wearing shoes,” remarked the observant Pearl.
She was already thinking of how to send school shoes to them.
The Penan students, in particular at the primary school level, are boarders. School mothers or student hostel administrators look after them and give them a good boarding programme of food and accommodation.
Food is prepared by a local Kelabit cook in the employ of the Sarawak government who has worked here for six years. By 11 o’clock, he has already prepared a balanced meal of curry chicken and a local vegetable with fragrant rice. Rice is fresh from the farm whenever parents bring extra rice to share.
Lovely children
The ladies also visited the pre-school department and met the lovely little Penan and Kelabit children – almost all of them undersized and dressed in a variety of clothing.
The favourite garb was long pants with an overly long dress and a sweat shirt on top. Pink is definitely the ‘in’ colour for the girls and blue of various shades for the boys. The pre-school teachers see to their snacks and the cleanliness of the classroom. There are 28 of them. Many of these Penan kids have walked one hour with their mothers to the school and they do that for more than 200 days a year!
In a separate project, the Miri Inner Wheel Club, headed by Florence, made a special charity drive and collected items to be donated to the Penans in the village of Arul Dalan. Home essentials like kettles and cooking pots are very much needed by the Penans who live in Arul Dalan, a newly set up Penan settlement about one hour’s walking distance from Bario Asal. Other donations include baby clothes and even a parang. A great essential is canvas which the Penan villagers appreciate.
The Penan children need more clothes and perhaps even special tuition to help them master their lessons in the primary school.
The Penan pre-schoolers have to walk one hour to school and one hour back. Their mothers walk one hour to bring them to school, then one hour back to their homes to do their chores. After that, they walk another one hour to school again, then one more hour to bring their children back home.
It is no wonder these Penan women are pencil-slim. They walk four hours a day just to make sure their children are safe in school and are back home in time to be with the family. Many modern city women don’t do so much on their treadmills!
Pearl and her friends are definitely thinking of more ways in which the Inner wheelers can help. They might see another project coming to Bario in November.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Sarawak Highland Folk Music Festival expects a big crowd
http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/10/09/sarawak-highland-folk-music-festival-expects-a-big-crowd/
by Jenifer Laeng, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on October 9, 2012, Tuesday
by Jenifer Laeng, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on October 9, 2012, Tuesday
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