‘Dayak’ as a race not given force of law – PBDSB

0

Performers at a Gawai Dayak event. File photo for illustration purposes.

 

KUCHING: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) today queried why the term “Dayak” has not been given the force of law following the call for it to be recognised since three years ago.

According to one of its leaders, Anthony Nais, three steps need to be taken before the word ‘Dayak’ as a race has legal force.

Anthony, who is PBDSB Secretary General, said in a press statement that there is no significant move from the government since three years ago after the Federal Cabinet’s approval to add the term Dayak into the list of recognised races in the country and acknowledging this fact represented step one.

Anthony said the next step is for the government to table an amendment in Parliament for it to have legal sanction.

“The third step is for the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) to endorse Parliament’s decision. Once that is done, then Dayak as a race has the force of law.”

He stressed that as it stands now, the term ‘Dayak’ is just an administrative decision by the Federal Cabinet so that Dayaks do not have to use the term ‘lain-lain’ (others) in government forms.

“There is no paradigm move made by the government of Malaysia, yet our Dayak representatives remain silent,”  he said.

“Now, we must give it the force of law. The term ‘lain-lain’ is to accommodate others who refused to be classified as Dayak or they are not members of the Malay, Chinese or Indian race.”

He said he hoped Parliament would table the amendment soon.

“As for the state, it doesn’t matter who tables it, as long as the job gets done.

“We do not want of being known as “illegal race” when we called ourselves Dayak. Doesn’t that sound illegal?” he questioned.

He added that the Federal Constitution’s definition of ‘natives’ also needed to be updated, to be consistent with the Sarawak constitution as the term ‘Land Dayaks’, ‘Sea Dayaks’ and ‘Muruts’ have been updated as ‘Bidayuhs’, ‘Ibans’ and ‘Lun Bawangs’ respectively.