by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 3: Longhouse chiefs play an important role in guiding their communities to participate in socio-economic activities aimed at improving livelihoods, an effort that aligns with the Sarawak government’s mission to uplift communities across the State.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas highlighted this during the pre-Gawai Dayak gathering and luncheon hosted by the Rimbas Ulu Longhouse Chiefs’ Association today.
He further emphasised the importance of increasing household income, noting that although Sarawak has achieved high-income status, many residents still experience low or unstable earnings.
“Increasing the people’s income is also a core agenda of the State GPS government.
“Longhouse chiefs, as grass root leaders, have very heavy responsibility in ensuring this,” he said.
Uggah assured the chiefs of continued support from him and their elected representatives in their development efforts.
He also reminded members of associations undertaking study trips to established farms or handicraft centres outside the State to treat the trips as a learning opportunity and not as leisure excursions.
“When you visit farms focusing on fertigation or hydroponic systems, try to gain as much knowledge on how such farms are managed and what makes them successful.
“Share the knowledge with your followers,” he advised, adding that such modern agricultural methods are key to the sector’s future.
Meanwhile, at the same event, Betong MP Datuk Dr Richard Rapu encouraged rural communities to fully utilise their local National Information Dissemination Centres (NADI) to market and sell their handicrafts and food products.
During the ceremony, Uggah also presented letters of appointment and reappointment to a Penghulu and several longhouse chiefs from the Rimbas Ulu area, which comprises 32 longhouses. – DayakDaily
