THE Sarawak Native Customs Council is expecting to organise more workshops and seminars on native customs (Adat) this year.
Minister in the Premier’s Department (Native Laws and Customs) Datuk John Sikie Tayai said to date, the council has conducted nine workshops and seminars, and they anticipate to organise more this year.
Meanwhile in 2021, the council had conducted 15 workshops and seminars throughout the state.
“One of the main objectives of the workshops and seminars, is to assist the newly appointed Ketua Masyarakat and Ketua Kaum to enhance their knowledge and competency in Adat.
“At the same time, the workshops and seminars would also serve as venues for interviews and collection of data from participants for the research and review of the codified Adat,” he said in his winding-up speech yesterday (May 24).
Since 2021, the council has been conducting research and review of four codified Adat and the task is gigantic for the research section.
Sikie said there are four research teams namely Bidayuh, Iban, Melanau and Orang Ulu and each team consists of only three members of staff.
Aside from that, the council is also involved in community programmes organised by other agencies such as Randau Social Development, Community Empowerment Program (Penan), Community Policing Programme and CCT Smart Law Programme.
“Under these programmes, the council is assigned to brief the participants on the process and procedure of Native Marriage Registration in Sarawak.
“Since 2020, the council has participated in a total of 10 programmes and would participate in another 24 proposed programmes this year,” he said.
In addition to the outreach and community programmes, Sikie said that the Sarawak Native Customs Council would be providing facilitators for Adat training during resident and district office training programmes.
