By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Nov 8: Bukit Begunan assemblyman Datuk Mong Dagang says it is against the culture of the natives to have two leaders in the same village.
Setting up Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) when Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) is functioning well, he pointed out, is like throwing a spanner into a machine that is running perfectly.
“…there cannot be two leaders in the same village. In my personal opinion, another committee such as MPKKP will create friction, uneasiness, suspicion and misunderstanding among the local community which will eventually further divide and split the community.
“I am sure that is not what a responsible PH (Pakatan Harapan) government wants. I am sure PH government wants to see a longhouse community that is peaceful, united, harmonious and prosperous.
“And if this is what PH subscribes to and want to see, then refrain from implementing MPKKP in longhouses and kampungs. Development funds could be channelled through existing JKKK which have been there for past many decades.
“So to PH members, please do not throw spanner into perfectly working machine for you will destroy it,” highlighted Mong when debating the 2020 Sarawak Budget at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting here today.
He asserted that a sincere and responsible government that wishes to assist its people will not resort to all kind of excuses, impose all sorts of conditions and creating all sorts of entities to channel whatever assistance.
“So if the federal government is really concerned and sincere to assist the rural community, then make sure of the existing JKKKs which have functioned smoothly until today,” he added.
On the Iban community, he emphasised that since time immemorial, it was the tradition among the Iban community to have only one person as a leader to lead the community in the longhouse.
“And normally, the community would elect a respectable person and in the past, the Tuai Rumah (longhouse headman) could be a warrior, so to speak.
“Time has changed and now the longhouse community would elect among themselves as to who should be the ‘Tuai Rumah’. So the position of Tuai Rumah and members of JKKK is not political appointment,” said Mong.— DayakDaily
