Dayak women urged to take heritage products global

KUCHING: Dayak women entrepreneurs have been urged to transform their cultural heritage into commercially viable products capable of competing in national and international markets.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said traditional products should not merely be preserved, but developed through innovation, technology, modern marketing and sound business management to create sustainable economic opportunities.

“It’s time for us to think of the economy. It’s not just this product. This product must be monetised and then people will know it and people will buy,” she said at the PERANTIS PENDAYA 2.0 (2026) at the Dayak Chamber Tower here today.

PERANTIS, or the Women’s Leadership Apprenticeship Programme, focuses on developing women’s leadership through guidance and knowledge sharing, while PENDAYA focuses on empowering Dayak women in leadership and entrepreneurship.

Nancy said the programme reflected the strategic collaboration between the Women Empowerment and Sustainability Network (WESNA) Kuching and Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in strengthening the competitiveness of women entrepreneurs.

She said she had observed the emergence of more new and diverse products among Dayak women, reflecting their creativity and ability to develop their cultural heritage into modern products.

Nancy said traditional products such as pua kumbu and rattan goods had the potential to attract international consumers, citing her experiences of seeing overseas visitors show interest in Sarawakian traditional products.

“I hope to see more of you going overseas to market your products out there,” she said.

She said combining products rich in local identity with good corporate management and high quality could help Dayak women entrepreneurs penetrate wider markets.

Nancy also called for greater knowledge sharing among women entrepreneurs, saying those with different expertise should work together rather than operate individually.

“There’s a lot more other people who have different knowledge, please share, ask them. Ask them to share with you or you share with them,” she said.

Meanwhile, Nancy said participants of PERANTIS PENDAYA 2.0 would receive practical training and mentor guidance to help develop their respective businesses.

She said participants would also be guided in preparing a 90 day action plan, which should serve as a commitment to themselves.

“Make this 90 day action plan a solemn promise to yourself. You must fulfil that promise to yourself, set clear targets, keep moving forward and don’t stop,” she said.

Nancy said the PERANTIS programme had involved 1,247 participants who received guidance from 25 women figures across 10 fields in 2024.

The fields covered leadership, politics, economy, social affairs, technology, law, security, wellbeing, education and health.

She said the programme demonstrated how knowledge could be shared and multiplied into opportunities for others, citing a participant who had trained 20 makeup artists who later provided services for 30 couples at a mass wedding.

Nancy also expressed hope that more Sarawakians would participate in future editions of PERANTIS.