The Iban Language Research Centre (ILRC) in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UCSI) in Perak should be relocated to local universities in the state.
According to Tamin state assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang, the government should consider an Iban language centre to be established at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) as it would be easier for the teaching staff to promote the Iban language and increase student intake, especially among the Iban community.
“It is also more appropriate to establish an Iban language teaching centre in local universities in the state since majority of Ibans are in Sarawak,” he said when delivering his debate during the State Legislative Assembly sitting here yesterday.
He said that this stemmed from the fact that he hardly heard the new generation of Ibans speaking or writing fluently in the Iban language.
“I too was informed that there is a shortage of teachers teaching Iban language in schools throughout the state.
“Therefore, I also appeal to the government to recruit more teachers in teaching Bahasa Iban and be stationed at urban and rural schools in Sarawak,” he said.
