By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, June 24: The Sarawak government has established a dedicated committee to strengthen efforts in preserving indigenous languages and safeguarding the identities of minority ethnic groups in the State.
Minister in the Premier’s Department Dato Sri John Sikie Tayai said the committee is officially known as the Jawatankuasa Berkaitan Perkara-Perkara Pribumi Sarawak (Committee on Indigenous Sarawakian Matters).
“The purpose of establishing this committee is to deliberate on ethnic names, particularly in terms of spelling and pronunciation, population data of minority ethnic groups—especially those newly recognised—as well as sub-ethnic groups seeking to be identified under their own ethnic names, and matters relating to cultural heritage including traditions and indigenous languages.
“The committee will assist in preparing for the official gazetting of ethnic names with accurate and agreed-upon spelling and pronunciation by the respective communities, and in gathering up-to-date data on the population and main settlement areas of minority ethnic groups in Sarawak,” he said during his speech at the inaugural Gawai Media Night hosted by the Kuching Division Journalists Association (KDJA) held at Grand Riverine Ballroom, last night (June 23).
The committee is coordinated by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, reflecting the government’s broader commitment to preserving cultural heritage alongside promoting inclusivity.
John Sikie called on the media to play a proactive role in this effort by promoting the use of indigenous languages and sharing cultural stories to ensure Sarawak’s diverse identities are not lost to modernisation or digital homogenisation.
“In this digital age, where social media dominates the lives of our young generation, it’s crucial that media practitioners continue to uplift the stories, languages, traditions and way of life of Dayak communities and other indigenous groups,” he added.
He cited RTM’s wai.fm Iban radio channel as a good example, where the “Seleka Jaku Saritu” segment airs every morning at 7.45am to explain rare or lesser-used Iban words. He encouraged other media platforms to adopt similar initiatives.
“Perhaps the media can publish one or two ethnic words along with their meanings—whether in print or digital format—as part of their daily or weekly publications. It’s a small but meaningful step to preserve our native tongues,” he stated.
John Sikie further commended KDJA for organising its first Gawai-themed media night, describing it as a meaningful celebration that strengthens ties between media, government and society.
Also present were John Sikie’s wife Datin Sri Melia Gelen, Deputy Minister of Transport (Maritime and Riverine) Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, Cr Halix Kuyong representing Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin, KDJA president Ronnie Teo, vice president 1 Zulazhar Sheblee and Gawai Media Night 2025 organising chairperson Indun Silong. – DayakDaily
