KUCHING, Nov 28: Dayak Think-Tank Association Sarawak (DTTAS) is calling on the new federal unity government to set up special provisions for the Dayaks in Sarawak and the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut-Rungus (KDMR) in Sabah in the upcoming 2023 Budget.
DTTAS in a joint statement by its founder Wellie Henry Majang and finance advisor Nelly Tawai said the previous federal budget has allocated special funds for the Orang Asli, Indians and Chinese but none were given to the Dayaks in Sarawak as well as the KDMR in Sabah.
“One of the important demands on which the people of Sabah and Sarawak agree to form Malaysia is the demand to guarantee the special rights of the Indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak.
“Thus, the 10th Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim who is leading the unity government must set up a special allocation for the Dayaks. We believe that the federal grant and allocation should be in accordance with the original promise of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” they said.
With an estimated 2 million population comprising Dayaks and KDMR in Malaysia, DTTAS also called on the government to recognise the Dayaks formally by replacing the term ‘Dan lain-lain’ or ‘Bumiputera Sarawak’ in all official government documents. — DayakDaily
