By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 28: Prominent academic Datuk Prof Dr Jayum Jawan has disputed recent claims that Sarawak’s Dayak community is not marginalised, arguing that the issue should be assessed based on the overall number and proportion of Dayaks in political representation, leadership positions, economic participation and access to development benefits relative to their share of the State’s population.
Jayum, a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia and Fellow of the Institution of Malay Rulers Chair at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), said many Dayaks disagreed with assertions by a Dayak federal minister that the community was not sidelined, maintaining that available evidence pointed to a persistent imbalance in the distribution of power and opportunities in Sarawak.
“Generally, it is acknowledged that Dayaks have lagged behind the Malay-Melanau community in the government and political sectors, which have been dominated by Malays and Melanaus since the 1970s, while the economic sector is largely dominated by the Chinese,” he said in a statement issued on Monday (July 27).
While acknowledging that many Dayaks have achieved success in politics, government service, business and other fields, he stressed that the debate was not about individual accomplishments but whether the community as a whole was adequately represented in key institutions and sectors.
“The ‘lag’ refers specifically to the number and proportion of Dayaks in relation to their share of the state’s population,” he said.
According to Jayum, many of the State’s most influential positions continue to be held by members of the Malay-Melanau community, particularly those associated with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
Among the positions he cited were the offices of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Premier of Sarawak, Deputy Prime Minister from Sarawak, State Secretary, State Financial Secretary, Federal Financial Secretary and senior appointments within the Sarawak Public Service Commission.
The adjunct professor at the Institute of Borneo Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), also pointed to leadership positions in several federal and State agencies and government-linked entities, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Election Commission (EC), Sarawak Foundation, Sarawak Energy, Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) and the Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA).
Jayum said his observations were based on publicly available information from government departments, statutory bodies and agency websites, which he described as empirical evidence that could be independently verified.
“Numbers do not lie,” he said, adding that publicly available data enabled citizens to assess the accuracy of claims regarding representation and inclusion.
The academic also urged the Sarawak government under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to ensure that the benefits of governance, economic development and entrepreneurship initiatives are distributed more equitably among all communities.
“Sarawak and Abang Johari have a lot of work to do to bring about fairness to the ‘marginalised’ Dayaks in terms of sharing the benefits of governance and the fruits of development,” he said.
While acknowledging Sarawak’s various development programmes, Jayum questioned how many had translated into tangible outcomes for ordinary people, particularly those living in rural areas.
“It is noteworthy that he has introduced many initiatives, but how many of these initiatives are taking off, and how will the benefits be shared among Malay, Melanau, Dayak and Chinese entrepreneurs in Sarawak?
“The Chinese community may be perceived as financially and economically better off, but the majority are not wealthy like the small number at the top. That is also the reality,” he said.
Jayum also highlighted continuing concerns over access to basic infrastructure, including roads, clean piped water and reliable 24-hour electricity supply, which he said remained unresolved in some parts of the State.
“Abang Johari must be a premier for all, not just for the Malays, Melanaus and urban communities. People can be fooled some of the time, but not all of the time,” he said.
A fresh debate over Dayak representation in Sarawak’s political and administrative institutions has emerged after PBB secretary-general and Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi dismissed claims the Dayak community is being marginalised in the Sarawak administration, stressing that members of the community continue to be entrusted with key positions at both the State and federal levels based on merit.
Addressing the PBB Special Convention for the Central Zone in Sibu on July 26, Nanta said the allegation, which is often raised ahead of State elections, is merely a narrative aimed at dividing the people and weakening the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government. — DayakDaily
