Jabu condemns Iban language forum

KUCHING: About 500 participants of ‘Forum Jaku Iban’ (Iban Language Forum) including Iban language experts, professors, university students and secondary students were shocked at the tone of Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang, in criticising and questioning the integrity of the organisers of the form.

“Who are you to organise this forum? Are you men of your word?” asked Jabu, when he closed the one-day forum at a leading hotel here.

“My advice to you is establish your committee properly and not on an ad hoc basis. Spell out your aims and objectives, and be accountable to the donations given by the people.

“And don’t overdo with publicity, and don’t talk big. Let others make assessments of your work,” Jabu said.

He warned the organisers not to mix with organisations and people who have negative agendas against the government.

“You have to ally yourself with the government, and don’t attempt to be an outsider working against the noble objective of ‘begulai-sejalai’ (working together in unity),” said Jabu, who is Deputy President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

Apparently Jabu was not happy for not being consulted on the forum and was asked only to officiate at the closing ceremony. He would prefer to open it.

But by criticising the forum organiser, the Utusan Borneo which published daily a page of news in Iban language Jabu indirectly hit at the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation, professors and Iban language experts from University Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI, Tanjung Malim, UiTM, Unimas and the State education department for supporting and recognising the efforts to organise the forum.

Four papers – Tun Jugah Foundation’s ways of empowering Iban Literature by Janang Ensiring and Jantan Umbat of the Foundation, Iban Literature by Dr. Chemaline Osup, of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Iban Language Development by Padang Luna, Ministry of Education and Iban Linguistic Identity: Dunging’s Alphabet and Borneo Research Institute of Native Studies (BRAINS) proposed by Assoc. Prof Dr. Bromeley Philip of UiTM – were presented at the forum.

William Mawan Ikom, Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation officiated at the opening ceremony.

Continuing his tirade against the organisers, Jabu asked the organisers whether they are prepared to learn the Dunging Alphabet system. (Dunging Anak Gunggu was the creator of Iban Alphabet).

“Are you prepared to learn the system before you recommend the participants and others to learn?

“I challenge the organisers of this forum to learn the system, and I don’t want any single organiser to fail otherwise don’t think of others to learn it.

“I give the organisers, if you are men and women of your word, two years to study the system. Put in the Utusan Borneo the spelling system. Only then the people will believe you. Otherwise nobody will believe you,” he added.

Typical of Jabu, half of his speech contained criticisms of other Dayaks, and the other half was full of self-glorification.

For instance, he talked about his success and efforts in the last 30 years in promoting the study of Iban language in schools.

“Now we have 60,535 students learning Iban in the country, out which 43,963 are in primary schools the state.

“The number is increasing. I support the idea to expand the usage of Jaku Iban in universities such as UPSI and other institutions.

“For as long as I live I will continue in my capacity, in my wife’s capacity and in that of my family’s to help synergise the usage of Jaku Iban,” he said.

Any Dayak Non-governmental organisation (NGO) which organises seminars and forums on Iban culture and language if the organisers do not consult him are certain to receive ‘baptism of fire’ from Jabu, who considers himself not only an authority on Iban Adat and language, but as the ‘paramount chief’ of the Iban community.

Tun Jugah foundation had clashed with him on the organisation of Dayak Cultural seminar, while Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) clashed with him on Dayak economic seminars, Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) on gawai celebrations and Rumah Dayak building and Sarawak Dayak Iban Association of native customary rights land.

Even Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) does not see eye to eye with Jabu.

Asked to comment on Jabu’s outbursts, Churchill Edward, Secretary of the Forum Organising committee said that although the committee was running at ad hoc basis, the committee took the challenges by the deputy chief minister positively and seriously.

“We understand that as the ‘paramount chief of the Iban he has the right to challenge the committee because he knew there were two or three committees which came and went.

“To him the previous committees were not so serious. Therefore he has the right to challenge us to register the committee, and to get experts, to get sponsorship and be accountable for the money collected,” Churchill said, pointing out that the government should not object for the committee to be registered.

On his challenge for them to learn the dunging alphabet system, Churchill said that to learn Dunging system, the committee could do it.

“Our committee has decided even take organise a tuition centre to teach our selves first and then we can teach our children, and others,” he said.

He thanked Jabu for his donation of RM10,000 for them to learn the system.

Several Dayak leaders who were present at the function were taken aback with Jabu’s criticisms and his self-glorification.

His criticisms are certain to alienate him further from the Iban community, said one senior Dayak leader.

Let us promote Iban Language and Literature

“Language is the roadmap of a culture. It tells you where its people came from and where they are going” – Rita Mae Brown, a famous American author.

Like other languages, the Iban Language is an identification of the Iban race and culture. A common language in Sarawak, the Iban language is spoken by other Dayak tribes, Chinese and Malays. You will not be surprised to hear a Chinese talking to another in Iban in some towns like Kapit, Song, Sibu, Simanggang, Lubok Antu, Saratok, Kanowit, Bintulu and Betong.

Like other languages also, the Iban language is being polluted or adulterated by other languages. Also assaulting our culture and language are various influences of today’s global and ICT world as well as certain government policies. When its originality and purity is gone, the Iban culture is also affected. This is the stark reality. Yet many of us seem to be unaware of this trend or just could not be bothered.

During the colonial regime (1946-1963), the Iban language was recognized and even used during the Council Negeri meetings. The Borneo Literature Bureau was set up to help popularize the language through its Iban magazine called Nendak and through the printing of Iban books.

When Sarawak obtained her independence through the formation of Malaysia, the Borneo Literature Bureau (BLB) was abolished and in came Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) some time 1978 to take its place. The abolishment of BLB saw several hundreds of Iban books and magazines destroyed.

I remember several members of Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) led by Sidi Munan tried to salvage some of the books from being burnt at the DBP headquarters near the Printing Department, Kuching.

When Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) was formed in early 80s, one of its activities was to revive the learning of Iban Language in schools. A committee was setup together with officials of the Education Department to look into the standardization of spelling, text books and syllabus.

After several years of discussions, the government finally approved the teaching of the language in selected primary and secondary schools in Sarawak. But the lack of reading materials poses a major problem to the teaching of Iban. Even Iban dictionaries are a rare commodity.

However, the Tun Jugah Foundation is currently compiling an Iban dictionary encompassing words spoken by Ibans from Saribas, Sadong, Batang Rajang, Remun and others.

To further instill interest in the study of Iban Language, culture and literature such as renong, dungai, sangai, pantun, sabak, pengap, bejawang wai, etc it is, perhaps, a good idea to revive the defunct Society for the Advancement of Iban Language and Literature (SAILL). Set up in 1967, it died a natural death in the 80s due to lack of interest.

Its revival now will not only help to complement the works carried out by the Tun Jugah Foundation, Radio and Television Malaysia (Iban Section) and SADIA, but also help to promote it as one of the “lingua francas” of Sarawak.

After all, to quote Angela Carter, “Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation”. Sad, isn’t it if our children and their children do not speak Iban properly, do not know their roots and their culture?

Any comment?