PANGKALPINANG – The acting governor of Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (Babel) inaugurated executive board of provincial Serumpun Sebalai Malay Customary Institution (LAM) 2024 – 2029 in Mahligai hall on Tuesday, 25/2/2025.
The board was inaugurated based on the governor’s decree number 188.44/609/DISPARBUDKEPORA/2024 dated 25th November 2024.
“We express our highest appreciation to Datuk and Datin for your willingness to bear the responsibility,” he said.
He said further that LAM is fundamental to preserve and develop the tradition in the province.
“We hope LAM can support the government to bring welfare to the people through culture preservation and development.”
Sugito said that based on provincial regulation number 4/2012 on Preservation of Culture and Tradition and LAM Empowerment, among LAM’s duties were to find an outlet for people’s aspirations related to customary law and tradition and to preserve the tradition. It also empowered the people to support the government and to create an atmosphere to guarantee unity and integrity within diversity.
“Malay has various local wisdoms in norms, ethics, traditions, and customary law. Among the traditions are reciting Malay quatrain named pantun, wedding ceremony, bekaor siroh, clothes, and death ceremony,”
He said further that the tradition was fading away day by day. The young generation rarely participated in traditional ceremonies or cultural activities in their villages. They were more interested in technology, social media, and other related to modernity. This was an irony. Even though technology brought many benefits in connectivity and information access, it separated us from our cultural roots.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the board, Bustami Rahman, in his speech said that custom was an important instrument because it was an indicator of living culture. It should have recognition because culture has a civilization value which becomes a foundation of a nation.
“As the chairman of LAM, I’d like to express my gratitude to the acting governor and all heads of Malay communities in Babel. I also beg for forgiveness from all of the people because many things have not been done yet by the previous period of LAM. Let’s strengthen the institution just like watering the plant and applying fertilizer to make it grow and bear fruit,” Said Bustami.
Bustami handed over a historical book written by Dato Akhmad Elvian and Ali Usman to the acting governor before procession of Malay insignia. (Lisia Ayu/SAS)
