By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 5: State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has yet to make a decision whether longhouse folk living in green zone areas can celebrate Gawai Dayak this year.
Its chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said maintaining Covid-19 green zones has been one of the biggest challenges.
“You see, one of our challenges is to maintain the areas green, not only in longhouses but in kampungs and towns.
“This is the biggest challenge that we have, so the committee (SDMC) as I have said, is dynamic. We will see how is the progress and how is the situation, how is the circumstance, then we see how we can come out with SOP (standard operation procedure) to celebrate Hari Raya and Gawai.
“There is to be no Ramadan bazaar, so there will no Gawai bazaar. We will answer that as we move on,” said Uggah at today’s daily press conference to update Covid-19.
The deputy chief minister was asked by the press if the Sarawak government will allow longhouses in green zones to celebrate Gawai Dayak which officially falls on June 1 to 2 and will a SOP be formulated to allow longhouses in green zone to hold this annual traditional celebration.
Uggah pointed out that social distancing is crucial to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is really important that social distancing (is observed). Once you have Gawai, once you drink… But we will announce (our decision) very soon,” said Uggah.
There are some longhouses situated in the semi-urban areas but the majority of them are located in the rural outskirts and interior, which are Covid-19 green zones areas.—DayakDaily
Uggah at today’s daily press conference to update Covid-19 (May 5, 2020).
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