Front row: Caroline Jackson, Joseph Beron, Jilina Mijim and Jonas Noeb. Back row: Jurin Semang, Hamrah Mapus, Robert Kenneth, Rosalind Yang and Aden Nagrace.

Publicity Sub-Committee Adviser YB Dr. James Dawos Mamit Chairman Joseph Beron Deputy Chairman Hamarah Mapus Secretary Jilina Mijing Members Jonas Noeb Caroline Jackson Rosalind Yang Robert Kenneth Aden Nagrace Jurin Semang

From The Editor's Desk

First of all the editorial sub committee members would like to wish all our Bidayuh community a happy and successful throughout the new millenium.

We are glad and thankful that this news bullettin, the first in the new millenium could be published after a long break due to techical problems that cannot be avoided.

The editorial sub-committee had been working very hard since middle of last year and a number of committee meetings had been held to get things in order.

For this edition, we focuss more on education and career guidance because it will help our students and school leavers to plan what they are suppose to do for next year. Anyway we all expect them to do well in their education in future.

My special thanks and appreciation goes to all the editorial sub-committee members for their tired-less effort, time and energy during the preparation of this issue.

To all those who contribute articles and advertisements for this newsletter, we really appreciate it and we thank you for that.

For the next issue we will emphasis more on unity (perpaduan), land matters, economy and information tecnology. Therefore I appeal to all Bidayuh intelectuals and experts in the fields to contribute articles voluntarily on the above mentioned topics.

We also welcome any constructive ideas and comments from readers as to improve the quality of our future issues.

Thank you and God bless.

Editor

The Story Behind It

In the early 1950's, the conscience of a young man from Kampung Quop, Encik Ahguan Guga (the late) was pricked.

As one of the very few well travelled and educated Bidayuh at that time, it was natural for him to realise in his own words that "The Bidayuh people must be united because they were separated by dialects, distance and religions."

He decided to for the Bidayuh National association (as it was known then) with a few friends to unite the Bidayuh people. The association was registered on September 22,1955.

Later the objective was expanded to include other areas like education, economic and culture for the Bidayuh. In 1983, its scope was revised and widen. DBNA continued to grow from strenght to strenght. In 1963, it built its first headquarters at Jalan Ong Tiang Swee at a cost of RM13,000. A bigger premises was built at the same place in 1982 which still stand today.

Since its existence, the association was served by nine presidents - Ahguan Guga (1955-1965), Michael Paong Nissom (1964-1966), Ritikos Jitab (1967-1970), Datuk Robert Jacob Ridu (1971 -1972), Datuk Dominic Dagok (1973-1975), Wilfred Rata Nissom (1976-1987), Peter Minos (1988-1996), Delta Samen (1996-1998) and Dr James Mamit Dawos (1998-2001)

Today, it has 16 branches throughout the state. The women branch has also been established.

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