BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA & NATASHA JEE
KUCHING: The construction of the new headquarters of the Dayak Cultural Foundation (DCF) and Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), known as the Panggau Dayak Towers, is yet another new development that will further benefit the Dayaks in the state.
The Sarawak government has given the two Dayak organisations a piece of land at Ong Tiang Swee Road here and RM20 million for the construction of the building which is expected to be ready by mid-2022.
The proposed nine-storey office towers, one each for DCF and DCCI, will also have a residential component with condominium and apartment units.
The new headquarters will serve as a platform for the Dayaks to gather and organise activities as well as a platform to preserve their cultural heritage.
In the following interviews, members of the Dayak community give the project the thumbs-up.
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LEONARD JAMBU (DCCI supreme council member)
‘This project showcases the modern identity of the Dayak community and latest development, especially in the construction property. I hope it will be a centre for Dayaks to organise programmes and gather in the future.’
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SANDRA USUP (Persafe Engineering Sdn Bhd’s chief financial officer)
‘This is a great achievement and landmark for the community after all these years. I hope that the younger generation will be proud of what the community has achieved’
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ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR NEILSON ILSAN MERSAT (DCF Performing Arts Committee chairman)
‘This is a great achievement for the Dayaks, especially in preserving their identity in the midst of rapid process of modernisation in Sarawak. Once this development is completed, we want to reach out to the younger generation, especially those who have forgotten their cultural heritage.’
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BELL BERNARD AGGAN (DCCI treasurer general)
‘This will be a good platform to unite the Dayak entrepreneurs in Sarawak. Those interested in business can go here and get information from DCCI as it is a body which wants to help and train its members by enhancing their knowledge in business.’
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MARICHELL LIVAN LAH (Supreme Council Member of DCCI)
‘It is good that the state government is helping us to have our own headquarters. It shows that it is concerned and wants to bring development to the Dayaks. This will be a place for the Dayaks, especially entrepreneurs, to seek help and guidance. This building will enable DCCI to generate incomes and thus assist the Dayaks economically.’
