KUCHING: Persatuan Segu Bunuk Penrissen (PSBP) has retained its top leadership for a third consecutive term, with Gabriel Michael Tomi and Aden Nagrace returned unopposed as chairman and secretary respectively.
Eric Niru was unanimously elected deputy chairman, while Wisco Gen and Rodney Mora took on the roles of treasurer and deputy secretary respectively.
The meeting also elected eight exco members: Nami Arieng, Protonia Mariko Rabe, Alexson Kuye, Christina Matthew Pue, Metua Kure, Chaplin Wan, Gibson Sateh, and Suzera David Carrol.
Members also approved a constitutional amendment to shift from biennial to triennial general meetings, with the newly elected exco to serve until 2029.
Puncak Borneo MP and PSBP patron Datuk Willie Mongin officiated at the opening of the meeting, held at Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Bunuk in Jalan Puncak Borneo near here.
In his address, Willie suggested that the association work closely with village heads and the Village Security and Development Committees (JKKK) of the six Bisegu villages — Kampung Segu Bunuk, Kampung Sorot Bunuk, Kampung Sumur Bunuk, Kampung Punau Bunuk, Kampung Bratan Bunuk and Kampung Sibatuh Bunuk — to help identify and provide skills training opportunities for youths who have left school.
PSBP and the respective JKKKs would serve as coordinators between the youths concerned and his Puncak Borneo Parliament Service Centre, as well as relevant government training providers, to facilitate access to skills training, including Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
“Instead of idling, youths should take the opportunity to undergo skills training that can help them secure employment or even start their own business ventures.
“The challenge is that many simply do not know where or how to begin. This is where PSBP and the JKKKs can step in to assist. I want both PSBP and the JKKKs to help identify potential individuals who can be guided to undergo such training,” he said.
“The skills can be as simple as burger-making,” he added.
Willie also called for more aggressive membership recruitment, particularly among the younger generation aged 18 and above.
In a related development, he said welfare assistance would always be given top priority in his efforts to assist the constituents under his parliamentary constituency.
However, he stressed that those in need, especially those seriously ill, must channel their applications through their respective village heads, who will then liaise with his service centre to determine the appropriate form of assistance.
