The Bidayuh Language Yesterday, Today and ... - SIL International

4.2 Efforts towards language unity and language development
Many members of the Bidayuh community are aware of the need to develop the Bidayuh language. After
the formation of the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) in 1955, many meetings and talks were
conducted to discuss the development of the language. However, agreement on the subject always turned
out to be very elusive. Regional pride coupled with a tendency to focus on the differences rather than the
similarities of the various dialects made it difficult to move the DBNA to agree on a plan to develop the
Bidayuh language.
Yang Berhormat Datuk Michael Manyin anak Jawong, in 1997, soon after his appointment as
Assistant Minister of Finance and Public Utilities in September 1996, invited a number of Bidayuh
education officers, principals, headmasters, and professionals from some institutions of higher learning in
Kuching for a discussion on the formation of the Bidayuh Language Curriculum Committee. After an
active discussion, a Bidayuh Language Curriculum Committee was formed. Specific duties were also
assigned to certain committee members to pursue. There were a couple of Committee meetings after that,
but no further action was taken.
On Sunday, 18 May 1998, speaking at the Bidayuh Cultural Night, Datuk Michael Manyin urged the
Bidayuh community to work towards achieving a common dialect which can create a sense of oneness
and identity for the community. He called on the Bidayuh community to have a dream that one day they
could sit together and converse in a common dialect (Sarawak Tribune, 19 May 1998).
In 2000, the Association of Research and Development Movement of Singai (Redeems) took up the
challenge. The treasurer of Redeems at that time, YB Peter Nansian, suggested in a Redeems committee
meeting that Redeems should take the lead in developing the language for all the Bidayuh. This was
agreed, and a letter was sent to the Director of SIL International (Malaysia Branch) to ask for volunteers
to staff the project. At this point of time also, the Bidayuh Language Development Committee was
formed. It included representatives from all the Bidayuh regions. Redeems applied for permission from
the government through the State Planning Unit (SPU) to bring in seasoned professional linguists from
SIL International for the project. The authors of this paper were elected as project coordinators, and have
been heavily involved since.
In December 2000, the Sarawak State Planning Unit granted permission for consultants of the project
to work in Sarawak. Linguists from SIL International first arrived in January 2001, and the Bidayuh
Language Development Project began.
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