‘Separate talks not a threat to DCCI’

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KUCHING: The two separate talks held simultaneously last Saturday on a similar subject for the Dayak business community by a group in Miri and Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) here are not seen as a threat.

DCCI deputy president Dato Sri Celestine Ujang said DCCI members were given the freedom to choose whether to attend the talk in Miri or the one organised by DCCI in Kuching.

“DCCI has given the opportunity to members to feel free to choose which of the gatherings they would like to attend. The one in Miri, we were told, has limited number of seats while the one we organised also has limited number of seats.

“Anyway, it is not bad to have many gatherings of this nature as a way to cater to the needs of members of the Dayak community who are participating in business ventures. Hopefully, the one in Miri also gives important opportunity for them to know more,” he said at the DCCI luncheon talk at a leading hotel here recently.

It was opened by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Douglas Uggah Embas. Also present were DCCI advisor Tan Sri Leonard Linggi Jugah and Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) president Dato Sri Empiang Jabu.

Ujang said he was happy to see the good turnout at the DCCI luncheon talk.

“Looking at the number of people here, DCCI is very happy that more than 200 had turned up as initially we thought only over 100 would come,” he said.

In his speech, Ujang paid tribute to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and Senior Minister Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom. He said both Jabu and Mawan had contributed much to DCCI and officiated at its functions.

Speakers at the talk included senior director of Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) Abdul Mushir Che Chik, who talked on ‘Opportunities for Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera groups in Economic Transformation Programme’.

Another speaker Kamarul Arrifin Ujang from the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department presented a topic on ‘Participation from Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera groups in the inclusiveness policy of 10th Malaysia Plan’. The other invited guest was Federal Secretary Datuk Md Yahaya Basimin.

Meanwhile, the event in Miri – a business and social political forum entitled ‘Embracing Reality Forum’ – was organised by a group of Dayak businessmen headed by entrepreneur Edwin Banta.

It was opened by Senior Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing, who is also Land Development Minister, and held at a leading hotel there.

Senior director of Stateholder Management of Teraju in the Prime Minister’s Department, Norizan Sharif, was expected to present a paper during the forum. Deputy Rural and Regional Minister Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun also presented a paper on Dayak socio-political landscape.