Sarawak-based Malay daily Utusan Borneo on Tuesday launched a new section dedicated to news written in the Iban language.

The one-page section called Berita Iban (News in Iban) is the first of its kind. The language is spoken by at least 40 percent of Sarawak's 2.2 million population.

According to Utusan Borneo's sister company The Borneo Post today, the move was aimed at catering the needs of Iban readers with news, special reports and features.

Borneo Post group chief editor M Rajah told malaysiakini that any plans to expand the number of pages for Berita Iban would depend on its response.

In neighbouring Sabah, English dailies New Sabah Times and Daily Express have been carrying several pages of news in Kadazandusun, the state's most common indigenous language, for more than a decade.

Preserving the language

Prominent Iban language and cultural preservation group, the Tun Jugah Foundation lauded the historical move.

Its president, Leonard Linggi Jugah said that Berita Iban would expose the rural people, especially the Iban community, to a new world of information and knowledge.

Furthermore, Leonard said that the move would help to promote the usage of the language and ensure its survival.

University Malaysia Sarawak Dayak Studies chair Professor Dr Dimbab Ngindang described the new section as 'excellent', adding that everyone is entitled to news in their mother tongue.

Tun Jugah Foundation research director Robert Menua Saleh believes that the move was in the right direction as print media was best method of disseminating news and information to the rural people.

Presently, the rural Iban community receive news from the outside world mainly through radio.

Eastern Times

In a related development, new English daily the Eastern Times kicked off with its weekend edition the Sunday Eastern Times on March 26.

The new tabloid was born after the downfall of the Sarawak Tribune, one of the oldest English dailies in the region, which closed down after its license was suspended by the Internal Security Minister in February.

Owners of the Eastern Times are believed to be closely linked with Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.