NGO hails CM for prompt receptiveness to Dayak community

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KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has won praises from Dayak National Congress (DNC) for being receptive to calls by the community to replace the term ‘Lain Lain’ (Others) with ‘Dayak’ in the ‘Race’ box on many federal government official forms.

“We are grateful to the chief minister for such a positive response, and this shows that he is the leader who listens to the people,” the non-governmental organisation (NGO)’s president Mengga Mikui said in a press statement yesterday.

Adenan, during a live interview broadcast on RTM last Wednesday, said he had no objection if individuals wanted to use ‘Dayak’ instead of ‘Lain Lain’ on the forms, adding that it was up to them to
use whatever terms they preferred.

“For more than 50 years since the formation of Malaysia, the Dayaks have been referred to as ‘Lain Lain’ for unexplained reasons.

“Why should we be referred to as ‘Lain Lain’ when we are the majority race in Sarawak?” Mengga questioned, pointing out that Malaysia was formed because the Dayaks were among the communities who had given their stromg support.

He said the term ‘Dayak’ had been historically known among anthropologists for centuries, affirming the identity of the state’s native people. The term ‘Bumiputera’, on the other hand, did not describe a race, he
added.

Mengga suggested that the Bumiputera Minorities Technical Committee (BMTC), co-chaired by Plantation Industry and Commodity Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah and Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkilili, would take heed of Adenan’s response on the use of the word ‘Dayak’ instead of ‘Bumiputera’ to replace ‘Lain Lain’ on official government forms.

For the record, the committee’s decision to replace ‘Lain Lain’ with ‘Bumiputera’ has been met with strong objections from many Dayak-based NGOs and PRS Youth.

“The word ‘Bumiputera’ was only used for political purposes when it came about during the introduction of the New Economic Policy in the 1970s,” Mengga said.

He also urged the Dayak lawmakers to support a motion on the definition of the word ‘Natives’, scheduled for tabling by the state DAP in the next State Legislative Assembly sitting.

“They should disregard their political affiliations and instead, support the motion seeking to amend the definition of the word ‘Natives’ in the Sarawak Interpretation Ordinance 2005.”

State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen had said that the motion was to classify the natives into Dayak and Malay.

Chong – also Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa State assemblyman – said presently, the Sarawak natives such as Ibans, Bidayuhs and Kenyahs are referred to as ‘races’, but under his motion proposed for the tabling, they would be regarded as sub-ethnic groups under the unifying term ‘Dayak’.

Mengga said DNC central committee had a long discussion on the term ‘Dayak’ and submitted suggestions to Chong for inclusion in the latter’s motion.

“The motion is good for the Dayak community as it clears any form of ambiguities with regards to the definition of the natives.”