BARIO: The 2008 Kelabit Custom (Adat Kelabit 2008) will be re-drafted to ensure that the provisions in it remain relevant.
According to a news report by the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (UKAS), Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala there is no denying that there are provisions in the custom that are no longer relevant in this era.
“For example, the ‘quantum of fine’ where in the book Adet Kelabit 2008, 1 ‘ilung bao’ is only equivalent to RM1.
“In the past this amount was valuable, but in 2023 this is no longer be relevant,” he said during the ‘Postponement of the 2008 Kelabit Customs Seminar (Re-Drafting/Amendment of Customs)’, here recently.
Gerawat who is also Mulu assemblyman added that customs are not only part of a culture and tradition, but it is also the identity and way of life of the community.
“The Bumiputra customs of Sabah and Sarawak are recognised in the Malaysian Constitution, if they were not applied, how would we be here this evening?” he added.
Several challenges have been identified in the two-day programme, including the change in the way of life of residents who moved from their villages to the city, traditional judges consisting of community leaders (KMKK) living in the city and not having experience in judging consequential trials and the change in the role of KMKK during the upgrading works of the Bumiputra courts to be on par with civil courts and syariah courts.
Nevertheless, this does not break the spirit of KMKK in Bario to evaluate each section in the custom book to ensure their relevance including sections rarely practised.
Gerawat, meanwhile congratulated the participants of the programme on their thoroughness in implementing it.
“The input that you have given will surely be very useful to the Council for Customs and Traditions Sarawak (MAIS) for them to analyse and reorganise a more comprehensively one,” he said.
The deputy minister also said the programme will not stop here because there will be a follow-up programme involving MAIS officials who will visit villages to conduct detailed studies and observations.
He hopes that the KMKK will provide appropriate cooperation and treatment to MAIS, so that the process of re-drafting the 2008 Kelabit Custom runs smoothly.
