KUCHING, Feb 18: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan is urging Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof to expedite implementation of the ‘Borneonisation’ of the Sarawak civil service.
He claimed that one of the areas that Sarawakians are looking forward to in the implementation of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is to see government officers from Malaya who are in Sarawak be sent back to Malaya and be replaced by Sarawakians.
“Sarawakians who currently are serving in Malaya and in Sabah need to be called back to serve Sarawak. This will give opportunities to Sarawakians to take all top posts in the civil service in Sarawak. We believe we have many brilliant Sarawakians who can take top posts in the civil service here and there is no need for ‘import’ from Malaya.
“They should be called back so that they could be near to their families. Furthermore, they know the local conditions and customs better than officers from Malaya and this will make locals more comfortable when dealing with them on official matters,” he said in a statement today.
Voon further said the call for Borneonisation of the Sarawak civil service is not a new issue and it had been raised countless times for many years.
He also referred to a news report where the then Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili told the Dewan Rakyat on March 24, 2022, that a MA63 Special Council has been established and the proposal on the implementation of Borneonisation was first tabled in its working committee, namely the Socio-Economic Committee (JKSE) on Feb 18.
“Be it known, it was the intention of our leaders before the formation of Malaysia that the civil service be filled by Sarawakians, not by expatriates or Malayans. Many Malayans who are serving in Sarawak are also eager to go back to Malaya.
“May Dato Sri Fadillah Yusuf look into this because many Sarawakians who are in Malaya are eager to come back to Sarawak,” he added. — DayakDaily
