Bidayuh community faces burial rights dilemma

THE Bidayuh community is grappling with challenges related to the burial of the deceased, as outlined in the ‘Adat Deya Tarih Pasid.’

Minister in the Premier’s Department, Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai said that the traditional ‘adat’ previously observed by most Bidayuh dictated that every member had the right to be buried in the cemetery of their ancestral village, in accordance with Adat Deya Tarih Pasid.

“The place where a Bidayuh’s ancestors’ umbilical cords were buried is considered their ancestral village. However, the authority to decide burial rights now rests with the village church committee, superseding the village chiefs and Adat Deya Tarih Pasid.

“Under current practices, only church members are granted burial rights in the village or church cemetery, sidelining those who do not belong to the church.

“Consequently, the Adat Deya Tarih Pasid has become obsolete in regulating the burial of the deceased, leading to significant challenges and anxieties within certain Bidayuh communities, given the limited time available for managing and arranging burials.”

Sikie raised these concerns during his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting on Monday (Nov 27).

The ‘Adat Deya Tarih Pasidis’ bears similarities to the ‘Adat Temuni’ (umbilical cord rule) observed in other native communities, affirming a person’s right to be buried in the land where their umbilical cord was buried, symbolising their place of birth.

To address the issue, Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak (MAIS) organised a round-table discussion with representatives from the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church of Sarawak and Brunei.

Sikie revealed that the Archbishop of the Catholic Church emphasised that burial rights in a cemetery registered under the Archbishop’s name are exclusive to Catholic church members.

If not registered under the Archbishop’s name, the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) and the village church committee would decide burial rights.

Regarding the Anglican Church, Sikie stated that the Church’s representative suggested that issues might stem from the approach or stance taken by the JKKK and village church committee.

“The Anglican church seems to prefer that JKKK and the church committee decide on the rights of burial in the village cemetery.

“As there has been no clear or definite decision made and endorsed in writing by the parties involved following the discussion, this issue is still far from settled and more follow-up discussions would be organised,” added Sikie.