KUCHING: Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Dato Sri William Mawan has called for an end to the ‘berhutang’ (owing money) habit among those so-called charity diners.

He said those who came to dinners and had undertaken to pay for tables or made monetary pledges for fund-raising events must pay up and honour such pledges.

He said he was saying this because it had come to his attention that some were not paying up, leaving organisers in a lurch.

“This culture of ‘berhutang’ should stop right away. Be prompt in making the payment because that’s what you should do when you have said yes to an invitation,” he said after receiving a courtesy call from the executive committee of Sarawak Dayak Graduates’ Association (SDGA) at his office yesterday.

The SDGA delegation was led by its president Dr Dusit Jaul. The courtesy call was to brief Mawan on SDGA’s fund-raising dinner at Christian Ecumenical Centre, Jalan Stampin on August 22.

During the meeting, Mawan agreed not only to be the guest-of-honour but also to croon his ‘golden voice’ during the dinner. He also purchased a RM3,000 table in show of support for this initiative by SDGA.

Meanwhile, Dusit said SDGA was very grateful for the support given by Mawan. “Dato Sri (Mawan) also sportingly agreed to sing a few songs during the dinner, to raise more funds for us,” he said.

He said the delegation met Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Manyin prior to meeting Mawan, and Manyin also agreed to purchase a RM3,000 table.

On the dinner, he said 80 tables priced from RM500, RM1,000 and RM3,000 are on sale. The presentation of cash incentives and certificates to Dayak students with outstanding results in PMR and SPM examinations will also be held concurrently.

He urged the public, especially Dayak graduates yet to sign up as SDGA members, to support the dinner and also register themselves as members.

For more enquiries on the dinner, the public can call SDGA deputy president Dr Elli Luhat at 013-8289795 and committee member Albert Jalin (013-8066876).

Source: The Borneo Post, 14 August 2009