By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 13: Ba’Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian (GPS-PDP) reiterates his proposal for a Sarawak Language Ordinance to provide a structured and enduring framework to integrate indigenous languages and cultural content into Sarawak education system.
Baru was encouraged to learn in September last year that the Sarawak Government had requested the Ministry of Education to allow the Bidayuh language to be taught in schools, in addition to the Iban language which is already offered.
He, however, called for another step forward by introducing a Sarawak Language Ordinance as he believed that “Preservation cannot rely on goodwill alone—it must be institutionalised”.
“The International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution A/RES/74/135, highlights the alarming loss of indigenous languages worldwide and the urgent need to preserve, revitalise and promote them.
“I have repeatedly raised in this Dewan the importance of preserving our indigenous languages. Yet to date, there is still no comprehensive action plan to safeguard the many native languages of Sarawak from extinction,” said Baru when debating Motion of Thanks on TYT Address at Sarawak Legislative Assembly here today.
Citing the the Sarawak Government portal which states that Sarawak is home to 27 distinct indigenous ethnic groups speaking at least 45 different languages and dialects, he expressed alarm that Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka listed four Sarawak native languages as extinct in 2023 — Seru, Pegu, Bliun and Lelak.
Several others, he said, are critically endangered, including Lahanan, Berawan and Tring, all of which have very few remaining speakers.
“Although the Education Act provides that indigenous languages may be taught where practical, and were requested by parents of at least fifteen pupils, the reality is that such implementation at the federal level has been limited and inconsistent.
“I therefore urge the Sarawak Government to allocate funding for the teaching of any language indigenous to Sarawak at the primary school level,” said Baru.
On preservation of Indigenous Data, Baru agreed with TYT that Sarawak’s ethnic diversity, languages, customs and ways of life must be preserved and documented amid rapid modernization and tourism development.
“I am aware that in October last year, a Sarawak Consultation on Indigenous Data for the UN Data Governance Submission was convened, bringing together local and international experts in areas ranging from adat to artificial intelligence.
“The consultation recognized that while Sarawak has made significant progress under the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy and the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, one critical area remains underdeveloped — Indigenous Data Governance.”
Indigenous Data Governance, he said, recognizes the rights of indigenous communities to own, control, access and govern data relating to their peoples, knowledge systems, customs, territories and resources, consistent with the principles enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
“Indigenous data” includes any information, in any format, concerning indigenous peoples, including their languages, cultural practices, genetic data, environments and traditional knowledge. However, before such rights can be effectively protected, the data itself must first be documented and preserved, Baru stressed.
In August 2025, he pointed out, the United Nations General Assembly published a study on The Right of Indigenous Peoples to Data, including Data Collection and Disaggregation. The study noted that artificial intelligence technologies, including machine learning and natural language processing, can assist in preserving indigenous languages, oral histories and cultural practices. At the same time, it cautioned that all digitization efforts must respect indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination, free prior and informed consent (FPIC), participation in decision-making, privacy, and intellectual property.
“I therefore urge the Government, through the Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre (SAIC), working closely with indigenous communities and subject-matter experts, to begin systematically documenting and digitizing indigenous data, particularly for communities whose languages are critically endangered.
“With its extraordinary diversity of indigenous communities, Sarawak has the potential to become a global centre for research into indigenous customs, cultures and languages,” said Baru. —DayakDaily
