KUCHING: The Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has called on the Sarawak government to take proactive measures to reduce the gap and forge partnerships between Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera businesses.
Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum
While applauding Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for a progressive, transformative, and equitable 2020 Sarawak Budget, DCCI president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum pointed out encouraging a greater and more equitable distribution of wealth between and across communities is necessary.
“More importantly, mutual understanding, friendship and unity will be established between communities.
“To this end, although the state government had announced that all major infrastructure contracts awarded by the state will require at least 30 per cent Bumiputera content, the state government should ensure and guarantee that the said policy is implemented without delay,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said the budget is set to propel Sarawak’s economy and the focus on rural developmental infrastructure, construction of roads and basic utilities for rural areas will transform the lives of the rural populace.
However, he pointed out that the business of constructing roads and other infrastructure has always been perceived as one that only big companies can undertake.
“If this approach is pursued to the end without any proactive and deliberate intervention by the state government, the gap between large companies and the smaller ones will grow wider,” he said.
Salang pointed out that established and larger companies would monopolise the industry and smaller companies will never be able to gather experience and the required capital to compete.
He added that larger companies often belonged to non-Bumiputera, while the smaller ones were Bumiputera-owned.
Salang also said the establishment of Collection and Processing Centres in various parts of Sarawak as provided in the budget will enable rural folk to sell their produce and increase their income.
To this end, he proposed the Sarawak government take the opportunity to enhance the economic status of rural communities by giving them the opportunity to become partners, co-owners, or owners of the collection centres with the support by the Sarawak government.
“This will create an equitable distribution of opportunities for the rural communities who are most likely going to be the main suppliers of products to the various centres.
“More importantly, they are given the opportunity to be involved in working out the processes like packaging, branding, marketing, and exporting the products and thereby enabling them to participate in the main stream of commerce,” he added.