By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 6: With Sarawak now eligible for electoral redelineation following the expiry of an eight-year moratorium, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) called for Dayak representation and rural fairness to be prioritised.
In a statement, PBDS permanent chairman Dr John Brian Anthony said the redelineation must prioritise fair rural representation, recognition of Dayak demographics, and protection of native territories.
“Many rural areas (which are) predominantly inhabited by the Dayak remain grossly underrepresented due to large geographical coverage with poor accessibility and limited public services.
“Any new delineation must correct these disparities by ensuring greater proportionality in seat distribution,” he said.
That being said, a call was made for a thorough review of Dayak-majority areas to reflect the actual demographic and cultural identity of these constituencies.
“PBDS insists that Dayak civil society organisations, local leaders, and community representatives be formally included in public hearings during the redelineation exercise. This is essential to build trust, prevent gerrymandering, and ensure legitimacy in the outcome,” he said.
He also added that new boundaries must not arbitrarily divide longhouses, customary lands, or traditional Dayak territories, and that they should respect native customs and not be used to fragment cultural and social cohesion. — DayakDaily
