NST Online: StreetsJohor

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 09:49 AM PDT

2011/08/23
By Shenton Thomas De Silva

A cultural centre has been set up at Kampung Sungai Tenom to preserve the heritage of the Orang Laut Seletar community

AN Orang Seletar Cultural Centre was set up at Kampung Sungai Tenom in Johor Baru with the aid and support of the Petaling Jaya-based Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences (MSMS) and funding by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The RM60,000 wooden centre was built on the river and connected to the village by a bridge. The project, completed last April, was aimed at preserving the heritage of the Orang Seletar community, more commonly known as Orang Laut Seletar or sea gypsies.

The centre is managed by the Seletar Cultural and Antiquity Society.

GEF, which is presently a 182-member organisation, was set up in 1991 to protect the global environment and promote a sustainable development, while MSMS began at Universiti Malaya in 1975 to promote the marine sciences.

MSMS project leader, Choo Chee Seong, said the centre was also aimed at improving the livelihood of the Orang Seletar.

"With little education and lacking in social skills, these Orang Asli always find great difficulty getting a job in our society," he said.

"They used to live in sampans in the 1950s along the Straits of Johor."

During the colonial period, the Orang Seletar acted as guides and security escorts to merchant ships along the sea lanes between Malacca and Johor.

The end of the colonial era in the region also meant the end of this job opportunity for the Orang Seletar.

As Singapore was developing swiftly after the 1950s, the Orang Seletar were gradually moved to the coastal areas and stayed there.

It was only after the 1980s that Orang Seletar settled in nine villages in Johor.

An Orang Seletar, Lam Mehlepat, 63, showed the use of some hunting and fishing equipment on display at the village centre.

He also boasted about the bravery of the Orang Seletar in fending off pirates during the colonial era.

"We hope the government will do something to ease our plight," said the father of eight children and grandfather of 15 grandchildren. Three of his children still live in sampans.

Present at the official opening of the cultural centre were Kampung Sungai Tenom village head Tok Batin Salim and Johor People's Progressive Party (PPP) head, Datuk Dr Siva Kumar.

Salim said he was glad to witness the setting up of the centre in his lifetime.

"We are afraid of losing our people and heritage. With the centre, we hope to preserve our culture," he added.

Salim also expressed hopes of organising cultural activities among the Orang Seletar community in Johor.

The opening ceremony featured dances like nyongsang. Guests were served dinner that included dishes like siput gonggong.

Dr Siva Kumar said that housing and education for the Orang Seletar community needed immediate attention.

"I believe we can bring about changes for the Orang Seletar in the village here," said Dr Siva.

Early launch for Mid-Autumn Festival

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 07:01 AM PDT

SUTERA Mall in Johor Baru is launching its month-long celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival on Aug 30 at 7pm.

It will be an evening of shows and entertainment, with the participation of Johor Baru (North-West) Tiong-Hua Association, Southern College and the Fo Guang Shan movement. Seven hundred lanterns will be lit.

Senior centre manager Goh Lak Jin said between 600 and 700 people were expected at the event.

"Even before the official evening launch, there will be a Chinese magic show, Shaolin kung fu performance and a lantern riddle guessing game starting at 1pm," he said.

Goh said the evening's activities would begin with a lion dance performance at the main entrance of the mall.

He said guests and the mall's senior management staff would pass the lanterns to 500 school children, 100 orphans and 100 Southern College students. They will then go on a parade around the Sutera Biz Centre.

Throughout the month, he said, there would competitions and other activities to entertain and teach children about the traditional art of lantern making.

There will be a Chinese lantern riddle competition from Aug 29 to Sept 12 from 5pm to 7pm daily, a lantern making competition for children and adults on Sept 4 and a children's Chang-Er costume competition on Sept 10.

Goh said 1,500 students would be participating in the Lantern Making Workshop and Contest 2011.

"The events are also being held to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Merdeka Day and the third anniversary of Sutera Mall."

Goh said prizes worth more than RM80,000, including the grand prize which is a Perodua MyVi car, would be up for grabs in a special lucky draw.

He said the mall aimed to promote the core values associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese culture.

He said the materials used to make the lanterns were chosen along the lines of the 5R (Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Responsible) concept. For details, visit www.suteramall.com or www.facebook.com/SuteraMall.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Rabu, 24 Ogos 2011

NST Online: StreetsJohor

NST Online: StreetsJohor

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