CM believes community-based enterprises can help non-Malay Bumis to participate in business
KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday called on Bidayuh, Iban and Orang Ulu associations to think of setting up companies for their respective communities.
He said the companies would act as an investment vehicle for their communities to participate in the business world.
Taib said while Muslims have the investment arm like Lembaga Masjid-Masjid, non-Muslim associations of the other Bumiputera races need to have their own companies, to allow them to share the wealth of the state.
He added that the government had provided business opportunities for Bumiputeras, but many of these opportunities could not be taken up due to lack of expertise.
“As a way to enable Bumiputeras to participate in business, the government is thinking of starting companies, run by private sector and owned by Bumiputeras.
“By doing this, more Bumiputera can buy shares thus participate in the business world,” Taib said at the closing of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) 13th triennial convention at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).
Taib, who is PBB president said, “Although there are already agencies like Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) and Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) to help Bumiputeras, the setting up of Bumiputera companies would accelerate their participation in business.”
The chief minister also pointed out that the development of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) was a concerted effort to help Bumiputeras.
He was confident that Bumiputeras would slowly but surely benefit from the various development process of the state government.
Taib also urged the people to refute the allegations by some non-governmental organsations (NGOs) in their propaganda against the government.
He mentioned the Murum dam project, which received criticism from the so-called NGOs claiming to protect the environment.
“As we move to develop our state, we receive grouses from small group of people who are not representing any ethnic group, but I believe the people can judge what is good and bad,” he said.
Taib noted that it was not easy to construct dams like Murum that entailed resettlement of the Penan, which was very costly.
According to him, the government had to spend about RM2 million for each family to resettle the Penan affected by the Murum dam.
He explained that the construction of Murum dam was necessary to provide electricity, to prepare the shift towards industrialisation, and assured that the resettled Penan would enjoy a better life quality than before.