My Life, My Journey: LAUNCHING OF DAM’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY @SK SENADIN @SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

PRESIDENT MESSAGE IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAUNCHING OF 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & EDUCATION AWARD.

Some fifty years ago, a small group of dedicated Dayaks in Miri had the foresight and vision to form an association to look after the welfare and to ensure the preservation of culture for Dayaks living in Miri then. They persisted and persevered in their vision and carried it out with commitment. Their hopes and aspirations have not been in vain but have borne fruits. The Association grew with time, known and recognised as the Association that represents the Dayak in general and the Iban community in particular. On behalf of the Association, I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to founding members, past and present leaders who have served are serving the Association over the last 50 years. And today we have the honour and privilege to launch our 50th Anniversary celebration of our Association.

Today, in conjunction with our 50th Anniversary celebration, we wish to recognize our Education Agenda by giving awards to members’ children who had performed well in last year public examinations – UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM. We also wish to recognise members’ children who had successfully obtained their degree over the last two years.

This year, we have gone a step farther in that the Education Committee led by Alexander Isut, decided
to adopt some 20 Iban students who are considered by their respective schools as “promising” students. Today we give incentive to them with high hope and expectation that they will continue to do well in their studies all the way to universities and beyond.

We also wish to recognise members who have successfully obtained at least a bachelor degree over the last few years. Obtaining a degree as full time student is a challenge and obtaining a degree as part time is a double challenge which not many people are prepared to venture into. It is indeed befitting for the Association in support of life-long education policy to recognise the selected few who have successfully obtained their degree. Let them be a model for our community.

We are indeed very fortunate today that we have YB Datuk John Sikie Assistant Minister for Local Government and Assistant Minister for Bumiputera Laws and Penan Affairs. YB has kindly agreed to grace this auspicious occasion, by launching our 50th Anniversary celebration and to give away prizes to our top performers and new degree holders. YB is an experienced teacher who knows very well about education and where we as a community stands today.

Finally, I hope that the awards recipients today will continue to do well in their studies. It is every parent’s wish that their children excel in their studies. So please do not disappoint them and yourselves. I also wish to remind all of you to save whatever money prizes you get today by investing them in savings account or in Amanah Saham so that whatever you get will not be lost in a day or week’s time in the various gadget shops and fast food outlets.

On behalf of the Association and Organizing Committee for today’s function, I wish to say “Tahniah” to all the recipients. It is our wish that you will persevere and be successful in your studies. To the parents, continue to nurture and guide your children in their studies. For those of you who have earned your degree, may you get the job of your dreams.

Jonathan Bedindang
President, Persatuan Dayak MirI

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MESSAGE FROM
YB Datuk John Sikie ak Tayai
Menteri Muda di Pejabat Ketua Menteri (Hal Ehwal Adat Bumiputera dan Penan)
dan Menteri Muda Kerajaan Tempatan, Sarawak

It is indeed an honour for me to have been invited by Persatuan Dayak Miri to give a short message in this Souvenir Programme.

First and foremost I wish to congratulate the Persatuan or DAM as it is known to most of you in Miri here, that this year you are celebrating your Golden Jubilee i.e your 50th Anniversary. Indeed your Association has done very well in serving the Dayak and in particular the Iban community in Miri. I am aware that running a voluntary organization is quite challenging but the fact that your Association has not only survived the years but continue to progress is indeed an achievement which young voluntary organizations should emulate.

Today is indeed an important and a joyous occasion for the members of the Association and their children as we are going to give various awards to our top achievers. I must say thanks to your Association for being passionate in your Education Agenda, motivating, encouraging, recognizing and nurturing potential high performing students. Your Association is among the few Dayak based organization that had done your part in promoting the importance of education to our community.

And I hope the award recipients and also their parents continue to put emphasis on your studies. Today
there are a lot of opportunities for us in Sarawak and in Malaysia to better ourselves through education.
Gone are the days when students have to walk miles to reach their schools braving the rain and
sometimes storm. Today schools and universities are around us.

My congratulations to all the award recipients and my thanks to the Association and the Education Committee for your untiring effort in promoting education among our community.

May I take this opportunity to wish you a meaningful 50th Anniversary Celebration and may the
Association thrive for many more years to come in order to continue to serve the Miri Dayak community
into the future.

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ACTIVITIES

1) Iban Language Oratorical Contest - 22/9/12

2) Education Awards Presentation - 22/9/12

3) Weaving & Carving Competition - on-going

4) Hospital Visit - 14/10/12

5) Karaoke Competition - 20/10/12

6) Badminton Competition - 26 - 28/10/12

7) Futsal Competition - 26 - 28/10/12

8) Blood Donation - 3/11/12

9) Dayak Golf Competition - 3/11/12

10) Grand Anniversary Dinner - 3/11/12