KUCHING, May 6: Eight Dayak-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called for the unity government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to declare the Gawai Dayak and Kaamatan celebrations in Sarawak and Sabah as national public holidays.
In a joint statement today, the NGOs said it is time for the Federal government to recognise Gawai Dayak as a national public holiday which is celebrated on June 1 in Sarawak and the Kaamatan Festival on May 31 in Sabah.
“As Gawai Dayak is celebrated on June 1 and 2, and Hari Kaamatan is celebrated on May 30 and 31, we suggest for public holidays throughout the country for Gawai Dayak and Hari Kaamatan to be on June 1 and May 31 for both regions.
“The additional holidays of June 2 for Gawai Dayak and May 30 for Kaamatan Festival are maintained in Sabah and Sarawak. If agreed, it should be gazetted as a public holiday for the entire country starting this year,” they said.
The statement was sign by Dayak Think Tank Associations Sarawak (DTTAS) deputy president Ricky Sani, Dayak National Congress (DNC) president Paul Raja, Persatuan Iban Sarawak (PAIS) president Samuel Suring, Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (SCRIPS) representative Michael M Jok, Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) secretary Rafael Dru, Persatuan Terabai Menua (TM) advisor Wilfred Nissem, Persatuan Masyarakat Salako dan Rara Sarawak (PERASA) president Robert Umping, and Persatuan Jaringan Tanah Hak Adat Bangsa Asal Sarawak (TAHABAS) president Romuald Siew.
They said the declaration of such a national public holiday was very important as it gives a better impression of the Federal government’s treatment of Sarawak and Sabah.
“Therefore, we hope that the move to declare these two festive occasions as nationwide public holidays as one of the measures to respect the rights of the people of Sabah and Sarawak as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement (MA63).” — DayakDaily
