Kelabit community mourns loss of ‘bringer of good news'
Philip shows a newspaper clipping of the news article that Ritchie wrote about him in the New Straits Times.
MIRI (May 6): The Kelabit community mourns the passing of veteran journalist James Alexander Ritchie, who was bestowed the Kelabit name 'Belaan Aran' (Bringer of Good News) in recognition of his contributions to the community and also to the Bario Highlands.
Rurum Kelabit Sarawak president Dato Dr Philip Raja said Ritchie's death was a huge loss to the community, and for him personally.
He said the veteran newsman had written a book titled 'Journey into the Central Highlands of Borneo – The Kelabit Leap of Faith ', which documented the history of Baram since 1883 from a local perspective.
'I don't think anyone else after this will get to write such a comprehensive and detailed account of the achievements and contributions of the Kelabit community and individuals to nation-building.
'On behalf of our community, I truly thank him for recording all these for historical context in perpetuity,' he said.
Ritchie's Kelabit name, Belaan Aran, was bestowed by Philip's late uncle, Pemanca Jala.
Philip recalled he first had contact with Ritchie in 1993 after he returned from the UK, having passed his MRCP (UK) diploma, and began serving as a paediatrician at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) in Kuching.
He said Ritchie had struck him as seemingly very knowledgeable about new happenings within the Kelabit community, as the journalist later wrote about him (Philip) being the first native in Sarawak to become a paediatrician.
'He also wrote an article in the New Straits Times about the sacrifice of my grandfather Makai Ulun, who believed so much in education that he walked through jungles from Bario to Long Lellang for one week and took another week by river to Marudi to send my father Petrus Lawai Busan off to study at St Thomas' School in Kuching.
'Without such sacrifices, I would not be where I am today, and James had always been intrigued with stories about people's struggles.
'We mourn the loss of our dear friend and relative James Ritchie. On behalf of the Kelabit community, we extend our deepest and heartfelt condolences to his wife, daughter and family,' said Philip.
Ritchie passed away last Saturday, aged 75. condolences Dr Philip Raja James Alexander Ritchie Kelabit community lead
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