KUCHING, May 29: Another two days, the Dayak community in Sarawak will celebrate one of the most important festivals, Gawai Dayak.
However, due to the surge in Covid-19 positive cases and deaths lately, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) implemented another round of Movement Control Order (MCO) in the efforts to curb and control the spread of the deadly disease.
Among the prohibited things to do as part of the SDMC’s standard operating procedures (SOP) are Gawai visiting ‘ngabang’ while those in longhouses must not leave their own unit or ‘pintu’.
Taking into consideration that longhouse residents would want to celebrate, but at the same time lives and health are at stake, longhouse village development and security committees (JKKK) Rh Raymond Plen in Sg Gelam, Sebauh came up with a creative idea for that.
According to its social media page, the JKKK said since the Gawai celebration can only be held in one’s own pintu and no ‘ngabang’ activities permitted, the residents decided to decorate their longhouse in a simpler and safer manner.
In order to ensure that their residents do not hop over to other’s room, they hung ropes from every door to the window so as to cordon the area.
Apart from that, they have also prepared the MySejahtera QR code for check-in, manual registration book, hand sanitiser and thermometer for temperature check.
It added that all residents are constantly reminded to avoid crowd or face-to-face meet, abide by all current SOP and instructions outlined.
A ‘WhatsApp group’ between the JKKK was also created and often used to deliver and share updated announcements on Covid-19. — DayakDaily
