Managing the Penans

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/25/sarawak/7099507&sec=sarawak

Saturday September 25, 2010

Managing the Penans

By KERNI PUAH
sarawakstar@thestar.com.my

THE Penan community is very co-operative and their affairs can easily be managed if the right strategies are applied.

Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Datuk Sri William Mawan Ikom said this had been proven many times even by outsiders like Bruno Manser and also through his own experience.

“If a foreigner like Bruno Manser can influenced them to follow his way, I see no reason why the local officers are unable to do the same,” he said.

He also shared his experience meeting the Penan community in Long Lelang in Miri division and how he came to assist them through a community project there.


Mawan: Bestowed the ‘Balang Mawan’ title by the Kelabit community.
Mawan, who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president, said he visited the Penans in Long Lelang about 14 years ago to see for himself their lifestyle and also to understand their problems.

“After the visit, the Penans seemed to like me and kept asking about me, so I made another visit to their place last year,” said Mawan when asked about the Penan community.

He said during his visit to Long Lelang last year, the Penans and Kelabit informed him that they needed a rest house near Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (SRK) Long Lelang for the pupils and their parents who accompanied them to the school to stay.

He said a Kelabit there was kind enough to donate his piece of land for the construction of the rest house.

“SPDP members helped to raise the money. We also held a golf tournament (the annual Datuk Sri William Mawan Challenge Trophy) and managed to raise RM17,000 while the ministry contributed a matching grant,” he said.

Mawan said the Kelabit community of Long Lelang also contributed by organising a fund-raising dinner in Miri last year.

According to Mawan, with the completion of the rest house, the number of Penan pupils studying in SRK Long Lelang has increased to 80% from 20% previously. Another 20% of the pupils are Kelabit. The Kelabit enrolment in the primary school declined because most had migrated to Miri town.

Mawan said the rest house is being managed by a committee set-up for the purpose, a mix of Kelabit and Penan members.

The facilities at the rest house include a kitchen, mattresses, pillows and blankets.

“Before the rest house was constructed, parents who accompany their children to school had no place to stay.”

During a fund raising dinner in Miri last year, Mawan was bestowed the “Balang Mawan” title by the Kelabit community for his contributions to them and the Penans.