SDCA, Deputy Premier plan initiatives to boost S’wak youth, cultural heritage

KUCHING (March 18): The Sarawak Dayak Cultural Association (SDCA) leadership held a strategic meeting with Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas today to strengthen initiatives on youth participation and cultural heritage preservation.

The meeting at Wisma Bapa Malaysia in Petra Jaya here was attended by SDCA advisor Prof Datu Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat, president Bridgette Astra Donald, secretary Rofina Linga, and committee members overseeing publicity, logistics, performance, and marketing, the association said in a statement.

Uggah, who is also State Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, urged SDCA to continue creating opportunities for youth to develop their talents in arts, culture, and the creative industries.

He highlighted the importance of talent development platforms in keeping cultural heritage relevant and elevating it to the international stage.

“I call for closer collaboration between associations, government agencies and industry players to expand career opportunities and enhance employability,” he said.

Key discussion points included streamlining SDCA programme objectives, enhancing delivery for maximum impact, and emphasising youth engagement to foster leadership and appreciation for traditional customs.

The association also shared its long-term vision for talent development, outlining pathways into creative industries such as acting, modelling, professional makeup artistry, and brand ambassadorship.

Strategic collaborations with industry partners and sponsorship opportunities were explored to boost the commercial value of SDCA programmes.

Planning for the grand beauty pageant finals in Kuching this July, featuring divisional champions in the Kumang, Bidayuh, and Orang Ulu categories, was also discussed.

Bridgette said the association remains committed to empowering Dayak youth through structured programmes and strong strategic partnerships.

“SDCA is not just preserving culture — we are building a future generation of confident, skilled and market-ready Dayak talents,” she said.

SDCA’s upcoming programmes include a Kumang and Keling judges’ workshop on April 18 at Serapi Hotel in Kuching, followed by competitions in Bintulu on May 8, Sri Aman on May 23 in collaboration with the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU), and the Samarahan Food and Cultural Festival on July 3 with the Majlis Perbandaran Kota Samarahan.