SIBU: Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) deputy president Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi supports Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing’s call for fairer treatment of Dayaks in the federal civil service.
Nanta pointed out that currently there were too few Dayaks in the federal civil service.
“I fully support the call made by Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing for greater fairness to Dayaks by the Federal Government when placing and promoting officers and staff in departments and agencies,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Masing, who is Land Development Minister, said the marginalisation of Dayaks in the federal civil service was because federal recruitment officers thought Dayaks lacked quality.
Masing pointed out this misconception must be corrected as Dayaks were as qualified as anyone in the country.
The Land Development Minister, citing the involvement of Dayaks in the global oil and gas industry as an example, believed if they could flourish in this industry and compete internationally, they were also capable of handling other lines of work.
Masing added that there was a need to tell those from the peninsula that Dayaks were just as good as them if not better.
Nanta opined that in a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural country like Malaysia, the government must be fair in giving opportunities to all communities.
“I take this opportunity to call upon the Sarawak Government to ensure fairness to Dayaks when recruiting and promoting officers and staff in various state departments and agencies.”
He also said the union was happy to note that Brigadier General Datuk Stephen Mundaw has been promoted to a major general recently.