Duplication never works for anybody.
– Dulquer Salmaan, Indian film actor
My encounter with a good friend and former school teacher Penghulu Wilson Alli at a Saratok coffee shop led to a discussion on a number of topics.
A regular reader of my column, Alli pointed out one of the problems they (the penghulu community leaders) are facing in the district is the fact that some community members and elders claim they are the elected tuai rumah (longhouse chiefs) despite not having any legitimate appointment and certificate from the authority, namely District Office.
Alli said during his duty day at the office on Tuesdays over the last few months, there were a good number of the so-called community leaders who came to the District Office and applied for projects on behalf of their respective longhouses.
“Some of the applications duplicated ones that were sent earlier by the legitimate longhouse chiefs, namely those with certificates issued by the DO (district officer),” said Alli.
“At least six longhouses in this area face such problem of illegitimate tuai rumah,” he pointed out and asked for our opinion.
Also sitting with us were Entika Gumbang, a retired former primary school headmaster and two retired primary school teachers, Bayai and Barau Umak. The latter was a trainee teacher taught by me in Rajang Teachers College in 1980.
The three gave a number of options but all of agreed on one item, namely the DO or his officers should only entertain those with legitimate appointments. If they are without those tuai rumah certificates, they should not be entertained, said the three of them. I told them that I was in agreement with that point.
According to Alli, most of the illegitimate longhouse chiefs had made for themselves the tuai rumah chop.
“That (making chop) is easy to do but none of them would duplicate the legitimate certificates or appointments as such offence is criminal in nature,” said Entika, whose wife is also a retired teacher and my distant cousin. Both Alli, Bayai and I concurred with him on this.
In the days when tuai rumah were not paid allowance, there were numerous cases whereby the post had no takers in many longhouses. Once my late father was offered to take over the post from his first cousin Limbing.
This happened in the mid-sixties when our longhouse was only accessible by longboat and motor launch from Saratok town. My mom threatened him with divorce should he accept the offer.
Nevertheless, dad was not after such post as he was only able to recognise 0 and 1 and was only able to write 10 and 11.
After Limbing there were three consecutive longhouse chiefs for Kedap, namely Tingang, Julung and Abunawas. Now after Abunawas, Limbing’s grandson Robert Lin Malina is the tuai rumah by appointment and the first of our longhouse chief to be paid allowance.
The father of five, two of whom are university graduates, enjoys solid support from Kedapians. He is also giving free service to our local chapel St. Gabriel as a sub-deacon.
Alli and the three of us agreed that it was the allowance that caused such enthusiasm to be longhouse chief among others.
Perhaps, the project applied might bring benefit to the longhouse if the applicant is the legitimate head but it could be abused if it involves an invalid applicant, said the penghulu, citing some cases of illegitimate handling in other districts over the last few years.
Cases of two or three aspirants to the longhouse chief post are very common, not only in Saratok but in other districts. There are cases where longhouses break into two or more due to divisions in loyalty to longhouse heads as well as other reasons.
Mendas, once the longest community dwelling in Melupa with 48 doors, has been broken into four shorter longhouses. One of the main reasons was disagreement over leadership.
Now they have four tuai rumah who are each paid allowances accordingly. While serving in Bintangor and Julau districts, I also came across at least three longhouses facing similar situation dating back to the 80s.
Now that Putrajaya has withdrawn its intention to appoint community leaders including tuai rumah in Sarawak, the local people and leaders are breathing breath of relief as such action would likely to cause confusion and other problems in the state.
Nevertheless, this problem of divided and duplicate leadership for longhouses still needs to be solved to restore unity and peace in community dwellings. Election of tuai rumah held in the respective longhouses should be monitored fairly and accordingly by officials from the district office, including the penghulu of the area.
I am aware of this division among longhouse residents but many of such cases had been solved amicably. Most Saratok longhouses holding their elections for their chiefs reportedly undergo peace in the processes, said Bayai, likely a future longhouse chief.
We agreed that longhouse chiefs should be given a card bearing his or her photo and particulars as well as related matters pertaining to his or her appointment. Contents of the card should be similar to those of the official appointment letter or certificate.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
