TEBEDU (June 17): The community leaders and village chiefs (KMKK) in the predominantly-Bidayuh Kedup constituency must go all-out in preserving the customs of the community such as their traditional dances, clothes and food.

In making this call, Deputy Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak Datuk Martin Ben highlighted the importance of this move in that he would not want to see the customs of his community being forgotten by the younger generation.

“The KMKKs should take the matter seriously so that the new generation will continue to learn and appreciate the customs, and for it to not be forgotten in the future.

“With the existence of sophisticated modern technology nowadays becoming so popular among the new generation, old customs face the threat to being lost and forgotten,” he said in a report by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) yesterday.

The Kedup assemblyman said this in his speech for the ‘KMKK Kedup 2024 Gawai Dayak’ celebration with the Bunan Gega and Bunan Punok communities here last Saturday.

Also present were Tebedu assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada, Serian District police chief DSP Neil Baginda, Serian Resident Office’s representative Wee Chung Yee and Tebedu District Office’s representative Angela Thomas.