By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 13: Telang Usan assemblyman Dato Dennis Ngau has appealed to the Sarawak government to consider taking over the management and operational responsibilities of the community library at Penan Village, Long Latei, to ensure children and young people in rural areas have opportunities to improve their knowledge and broaden their horizons.
Dennis said the mini community library, established through a joint initiative between the Sarawak State Library and his service centre, was officially opened on Oct 24, 2020, at the Penan Service Centre in Long Latei, about a two-hour drive along a logging road from Long Lama.
However, Dennis said he had largely been shouldering the library’s operational costs, particularly token payments for volunteers looking after the facility, and could no longer sustain the financial commitment due to limited funds.
He urged the relevant ministry and the Sarawak State Library to consider providing a sustainable allocation for staff salaries, maintenance, reading materials and other essential operating expenses.
“The facility is already there, and the community is already benefiting from it. What we need now is a sustainable management and funding arrangement to ensure its continuity, especially to serve the Penan community and neighbouring villages,” he said when debating the Sarawak State Library (Amendment) Bill, 2026, at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUNS) sitting today.
Dennis said donations and corporate social responsibility initiatives had helped support the library, but should not be the sole basis for its long-term operations, as contributions could fluctuate according to donors’ priorities.
He thanked PETRONAS SSGP, Rotary Club of Miri, Sarawak Multimedia Authority, TEGAS, Marudi District Council, Pustaka Awam Marudi, DayakDaily, Nesun Alan Sdn Bhd, Bumimas Sdn Bhd, Myhuman, youth volunteers from Kuala Lumpur, the Long Latei village headman and residents, and other well-wishers for their contributions.
Their support demonstrated the role that government agencies, private companies, civil society and individuals could play in improving rural communities, he said.
Nevertheless, he stressed that a more structured arrangement under the State government was needed to ensure the library’s sustainability.
He said the library was established to bring reading materials, educational resources and learning opportunities closer to children in remote communities.
“Children in the interior deserve the same opportunities to learn, explore and develop their potential as children in urban areas. They should not be disadvantaged simply because of where they were born or where their families live,” he said.
Dennis said the issue was closely linked to the objectives of the amendment bill, which he supported, noting that strengthening the legal framework governing the Sarawak State Library should go hand in hand with expanding access to library services in rural and remote areas.
He said communities in Telang Usan were scattered across vast geographical areas, with some villages accessible only through challenging logging roads, making educational facilities particularly important.
“A library might appear small compared with major infrastructure projects, but its long-term impact on children’s development could be substantial.
“A child who develops a reading habit today may become a teacher, doctor, engineer, entrepreneur or community leader in the future,” he said.
He added that access to books and learning resources could help rural students improve their language proficiency, strengthen academic performance and prepare for a future increasingly shaped by knowledge and digital technology.
To move the proposal forward, he called for an assessment of the library’s facilities, staffing requirements and operating costs, alongside consideration of State funding and a suitable management arrangement.
Possible options included direct management by the Sarawak State Library, a partnership with the local community or another appropriate mechanism, he said.
He also proposed gradually equipping the facility with additional reading materials, educational resources and, where feasible, digital learning facilities.
Dennis hoped the ministry would view the Long Latei library not merely as an isolated initiative, but as a potential model for extending library services to other underserved rural communities.
He said his service centre was ready to cooperate with the ministry and the Sarawak State Library to ensure the facility continued benefiting the local community.
“As the elected representative for Telang Usan, I have done my best to keep this library running because I believe that investing in education is investing in the future of our people,” he said. — DayakDaily
