By Geryl Ogilvy
KUCHING, April 25: Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has urged the government to devise an intervention mechanism to nurture and promote Bumiputera business involvement in all sectors to accelerate the state’s economic development.
DCCI president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said due to the lack of business culture amongst the Bumiputera, it is imperative that the government and its development agencies take bold initiatives to increase participation of Bumiputera and Dayaks particularly in commerce and industry.
Well executed schemes like mentoring, vendor development and business incubation could go a long way towards this pursuit, he added.
DCCI expressed hope that the state government would help increase Bumiputera participation in the construction industry in Sarawak.
“In the state’s quest to accelerate the phase of development, many initiatives have been introduced with massive infrastructure development budget. Our budding Dayak business community is particularly keen to journey together with the State in these endeavours.
“They want active participation; their dream is not only to see Sarawak having state-of-the-art infrastructure, but also the people nurtured to replace foreign contractors and undertake the maintenance of these infrastructure and utilities when the foreigners are no longer around,” he said.
Salang was speaking at the 17th DCCI annual general meeting and Business Dialogue at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
The chamber was also in view that it would be a pity, after the state spent huge infrastructure funds for the people to enjoy good facilities only to still be depending on foreign contractors for the projects in the future.
“I am sure it is also the state’s desire to see more of our people involved in more meaningful ways in the development of our state.
“In spite of the euphoria about the rollouts of mega projects like the Pan Borneo Highway, coastal highway, second trunk road, state water works and electricity grids, most of our Bumiputera contractors are still in the state of daze and ‘hanya menghisap jari’ (looking from afar),” Salang said.
He believed such predicament was also faced by other Bumiputera organisations such as Dewan Usahawan Bumiputera Sarawak (DUBS) and Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia (PKMM) Negeri Sarawak. — DayakDaily
