KUCHING, Feb 21 ― The recognition of Gawai Dayak and Pesta Kaamatan as national public holidays will have significant meaning for the Dayak and Kadazan-Dusun communities in Malaysia, said Bung Bratak Heritage Association (BBHA) chairman Datuk Peter Minos.
“As Malaysians, both the Dayaks and Kadazan-Dusuns have played their part in national development. Many had died in defence of Malaysia.
“The Dayaks are a sizeable group in Sarawak. It is the same of the Kadazan-Dusuns in Sabah.
“If Sarawak government recognises Gawai Dayak as a state public holiday, why cannot the federal government? The same in Sabah for Kaamatan. Hopefully, the federal government will decide before this year ends,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Talking as chairman of a Dayak historical and cultural body, Minos said he fully supports the call made by some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that the federal government should declare Gawai Dayak a national public holiday on June 1 and Kaamatan on May 31.
He believes the whole Dayak community of Sarawak and Kadazan-Dusuns of Sabah will also fully support the move.
As far as Gawai Dayak is concerned, Minos said it should have been recognised as national holiday since 1963 when Malaysia was formed.
“The non-Dayaks may not realise it, that the Dayaks want to be recognised and acknowledged fully as Malaysians. They are dismayed that till now they are not that recognised as Gawai Dayak is not a national holiday yet.
“The Gawai Dayak is something great to the Dayaks. It is part of their lives, part of their history, heritage and culture. And it is their pride and dignity, as well as their identity,” he said, adding the Dayaks are well known in the whole world.
Earlier yesterday, a group of NGOs proposed that the federal government declare May 31 a national public holiday for Kaamatan and June 1 for Gawai Dayak.
Echoing the principles of ‘Malaysia Madani’ championed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Unity Government, the NGOs said the celebrations are vital to the Dayak and Kadazan-Dusun communities in East Malaysia.
“Despite their importance, these significant cultural days have yet to be declared national holidays since the formation of Malaysia in 1963,” the NGOs said in a joint statement.
According to them, recognising the two dates as national holidays will not only strengthen national unity and cultural understanding, but also help Sarawakians and Sabahan working in the Peninsula to return to their respective states to celebrate.
They also said declaring national public holidays for the two harvest festivals will also help recognise the contributions of Sarawak and Sabah, which were signatories to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The statement was signed by Sarawak Indigenous Intellectual Association (Perantis) founder and advisor Wellie Henry Majang, legal advisor Paul Raja, and deputy president Ricky Sani; Terabai Menua Association (TM) president Wilfred Nissem; and Persatuan Masyarakat Salako dan Rara Sarawak (Perasa) president Robert Umping. ― Borneo Post
