BINTULU: Grassroots leaders such as Community Leaders and Village Chiefs (KMKK) are reminded to manage government allocations with full integrity and transparency so that the benefits of development can be fully felt by the people.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dato' Sri Tiong King Sing emphasised this in his speech at the 2025 Pengerami Ngiling Bidai Gawai Dayak Ceremony organised by the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) which took place at a hotel here on Friday.
He reprimanded the attitude of a few Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK) and women's bureaus who still failed to submit project reports, even though the allocations were channeled more than a year ago.

"I hope that the JKKK and the women's bureau will use the allocation transparently, especially for the longhouse upgrading project.

"Don't misuse the KMKK position when you have the power now," he stressed.
According to him, the abuse of power among office holders not only tarnishes the integrity of leadership, but also affects the development goals and well-being of the local community.

At the same event, the Bintulu Member of Parliament also expressed his joy at being able to celebrate Gawai Dayak with the local community.

For him, Gawai is not just a festival, but a symbol of the identity, heritage and cultural wealth of the Dayak community which reflects harmony in diversity.

"This is our country that celebrates various festivals such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Gawai Dayak and Christmas. Let's all appreciate the festivals celebrated by various ethnic groups," he added.

He also called for the spirit of unity and mutual respect to continue to be strengthened, in line with efforts to preserve the harmony of the diverse society in this country. -UKASnews