KUCHING, Dec 11 — Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) is urging Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who has been tasked with expediting all matters related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), to rectify and scrap the existing ‘Lain-lain’ in the race column of official forms.

Its president Bobby William said PBDS would like due recognition of ‘Dayak’ as an indigenous race in Malaysia by not referring to the community as ‘lain-lain’ or ‘others’.

"As the indigenous people with the majority race in the largest state in Malaysia, to be referred as ‘lain-lain’ is an insult as a people of no significance in Malaysia.

"The government’s official forms must therefore specifically write ‘Dayak’ instead of ‘others’ or ‘lain-lain’. The government must recognise and respect the United Nation (UN) laws that implicate the Dayak as indigenous people.

"Make UN laws available to the indigenous natives to be parallel with our government laws that can bring positive implication to the Dayak community,” he said when asked to comment on Fadillah’s appointment and tasks given by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Bobby said Fadillah should also fight for a special allocation of RM200 million as ‘seed capital’ to support Dayak business — to be managed through a Mara-like institution.

He lamented that the Dayaks are the poorest and arguably the most backward and marginalised race in Malaysia despite being accorded as Bumiputera.

"A yearly budget must be allocated for the Dayak people. If the federal government can allocate funds to other races in Peninsular Malaysia, why not for the Dayak?

Bobby also pointed out the need to look into equal opportunity for all and solve the lopsidedness of employment and advancements in the civil services and private sectors in both state and federal levels.

"The current employment intake ratio at both state and federal government levels is seen in favour of one particular race.

"Fadillah must not forget about the agreement on power sharing when Malaysia was formed,” Bobby reminded, while pointing out that the agreement which was agreed upon was if the Head of State is a Dayak (non-Muslim), then the Chief Minister or Premier ought to be a Malay/Muslim, and vice-versa.

"Do not delay these key standing issues that we have raised as it had been dragging for so many years. Our rights and privileges need to be restored and specifically the indigenous natives who form the majority in Sarawak.

"As this is the first time that a Malaysian Prime Minister has seriously tried to solve the issue of MA63 which has remained a stumbling block to relations between Sarawak and the federal government, decisions have to be made once and for all,” he said, adding that the past prime ministers had only paid lip service to the MA63 issues.

"PBDS welcomes the positive steps taken by our prime minister in appointing his deputy from Sarawak to hasten the process of implementing the MA63 and restoring Sarawak’s rights as had been agreed upon by both Malaya and Sarawak prior to the formation of Malaysia.

"We want Fadillah to pay serious attention and solve the long outstanding issues affecting the Dayak,” said Bobby. — Borneo Post