By Shikin Louis
BAU, Aug 19: Rising in the heart of Greater Bau, the Bidayuh Cultural Centre is fast taking shape as a landmark that will not only serve as a gathering place but also stand as a symbol of identity and pride for the Bidayuh community.
Currently at 80 per cent completion, the RM9 million Projek Rakyat (People’s Project) is expected to be ready by December 2025.
Tasik Biru assemblyman Dato Henry Harry Jinep said the idea for the cultural centre stemmed from the need for larger and more functional spaces to host the growing number of events in Bau, especially with its proximity to Kuching.
“Since we are very near to Kuching, close proximity, about half an hour travel, the Bidayuh Cultural Centre can become an event centre for seminars, conventions, whatever they want to have events for.
“This is more or less like a mini convention centre for Bau,” he told reporters during a site visit today.
The Bidayuh Cultural Centre, which will be managed by the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA), features a grand hall that can accommodate more than 1,000 people or around 100 banquet tables, along with a canteen to operate daily, a meeting room, exhibition and gallery space, and a Baruk (traditional Bidayuh roundhouse) as its iconic centrepiece.
He emphasised that the centre is not only about cultural preservation but also about creating socioeconomic opportunities.
“This is something we created so that people may have a proper venue to do events and to generate more activities for the community,” he said.
Harry who is the Deputy Minister of Transport (Maritime and Riverine) pointed out that the existing Bau Civic Centre (Dewan Suarah Bau) is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the community as it is too small and lacks modern amenities such as escalators and lifts.
“Today, events like dinners or weddings can easily require 100 to 200 tables, but the Dewan Suarah is not able to accommodate that. It is also not very user-friendly as it has no escalator or lift,” he explained.
He added that Bau needs more event spaces to cater for the growing demand. With the completion of the Bidayuh Cultural Centre, the community will have an additional option alongside the Bau Sports Arena, Bau Mini Stadium and the Bau Civic Centre.
At the same time, Harry revealed that Bau is undergoing transformation with several major projects in the pipeline, including a new District Education Office costing RM25 million, a new District Council headquarters valued at RM20 million, and the ICQS Complex in Serikin.
Also present during the visit were Bau District Officer Eddy Nayoi and Bau District Council representative Samuel Suwim.
– DayakDaily
