KUCHING: Political unity has strengthened the Bidayuh community’s social and economic progress.
Veteran observer Datuk Peter Minos believes the political unity enjoyed by the Bidayuh community today under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has become a major pillar of strength for the community’s overall development.
He said the situation was very different in the 1960s and 1970s, when Bidayuh leaders and elected representatives were scattered across various political parties, many of which were themselves internally divided.
“In politics, all Bidayuh members of parliament and state assemblymen are now in GPS. That was not the case in the 1960s or even in the 1970s, when Bidayuhs were divided among various political parties,” he said.
According to Minos, the present political alignment has given the Bidayuh community a common platform and a stronger collective voice.
“GPS has given the Bidayuhs an umbrella for political unity. This means a lot to the community’s overall unity,” he said.
He stressed that political disunity could negatively affect a community’s social and economic progress.
“I say so because, if a community is politically disunited, woe befalls its social and economic development and progress,” he added.
Minos, who once led the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) in the 1980s, recalled that the push for Bidayuh unity was already gaining momentum during his leadership years.
“I could feel then that the Bidayuh unity movement was gaining great momentum and strength.
“The yearning for unity was moving forward in real earnest, and I was very happy and proud of it,” he said.
Minos was among the past DBNA leaders who attended the DBNA Triennial General Assembly welcoming dinner at the DBNA Headquarters Multipurpose Hall on Friday.
Describing the gathering as “grand and great”, he said the occasion brought back memories of his years serving the association and witnessing the community’s growing sense of togetherness.
“The gathering reminded me very much of my past in DBNA and the efforts we made towards unity,” he said.
He noted that governments generally find it easier to support and assist a united community rather than one fragmented by political divisions.
“The government is, of course, happy when a community is united, especially a relatively small one like the Bidayuhs.
“It is much easier for the government to help and support a united community than a fragmented and divided one,” he said.
Minos emphasised that unity remains the foundation for progress in all aspects of society, including cultural preservation, economic growth and social development.
“Unity, as we know, is the foundation for all things — for social, cultural, economic and other progress and development. Without unity, things fall apart,” he said.
He also credited DBNA with playing an important role in fostering Bidayuh unity since its establishment in 1955.
