KUCHING: An Iban businessman Joseph Allen has criticised some Iban ministers and elected representatives for not fighting for the interests of the Iban community in terms of quotas in business, economic cake, scholarships, places in universities, recruitment into the civil service, holding higher posts in the civil service or appointments to government-linked companies.
“They should be courageous enough in fighting for the interests of their own community.
“They should emulate and support Minister of Primary Commodities and Industries Bernard Dompok, who is also president of United Pasok Momogun Organisation in fighting for the interests of the Kadazan-Dusun community,” he said.
Allen, a former supreme council member of Parti Rakyat Sarawak, was asked to comment on Dompok’s statement.
Dompok had said that Bumiputras from Sabah and Sarawak should be accorded equal opportunities as their counterparts in the peninsula in all aspects, citing federal service as example where all the top posts are denominated by Bumiputras from the peninsula.
The minister believed that it was every citizen’s right to raise matters that need the attention of the country’s leaders and they should not be regarded as going against the government.
“Dompok is the type of leaders we need for the Iban community,” Allen stressed.
Expressing support for Dompok’s call for a review of economic quota, he said: “The quota of 30% should apply to both the non-Muslim Bumiputra (Dayak) community and the Muslim community, while the non-Bumiputra should be 40%.
“Currently, Dayaks are lumped together with the Malays to form the Bumiputra group which is allocated 30% of the economic cake. Under this category, the Dayaks do not get anything. They are only needed to strengthen the number only,” he said.
Allen said that when Malaysia was formed, Temenggong Jugah signed the Malaysian Agreement on behalf of the Dayaks, while Donald Stephens signed on behalf of the Kadazan-Dusuns, because they believed that their generations to come would benefit and enjoy the wealth of the nation.
And if they refused to sign, there would be no Malaysia today, he added.
A former Police officer, Allen said that the Dayaks had contributed a great deal to the security, peace and order of the country during the height of communist insurgency in Sarawak.
“They should be courageous enough in fighting for the interests of their own community.
“They should emulate and support Minister of Primary Commodities and Industries Bernard Dompok, who is also president of United Pasok Momogun Organisation in fighting for the interests of the Kadazan-Dusun community,” he said.
Allen, a former supreme council member of Parti Rakyat Sarawak, was asked to comment on Dompok’s statement.
Dompok had said that Bumiputras from Sabah and Sarawak should be accorded equal opportunities as their counterparts in the peninsula in all aspects, citing federal service as example where all the top posts are denominated by Bumiputras from the peninsula.
The minister believed that it was every citizen’s right to raise matters that need the attention of the country’s leaders and they should not be regarded as going against the government.
“Dompok is the type of leaders we need for the Iban community,” Allen stressed.
Expressing support for Dompok’s call for a review of economic quota, he said: “The quota of 30% should apply to both the non-Muslim Bumiputra (Dayak) community and the Muslim community, while the non-Bumiputra should be 40%.
“Currently, Dayaks are lumped together with the Malays to form the Bumiputra group which is allocated 30% of the economic cake. Under this category, the Dayaks do not get anything. They are only needed to strengthen the number only,” he said.
Allen said that when Malaysia was formed, Temenggong Jugah signed the Malaysian Agreement on behalf of the Dayaks, while Donald Stephens signed on behalf of the Kadazan-Dusuns, because they believed that their generations to come would benefit and enjoy the wealth of the nation.
And if they refused to sign, there would be no Malaysia today, he added.
A former Police officer, Allen said that the Dayaks had contributed a great deal to the security, peace and order of the country during the height of communist insurgency in Sarawak.
“Now the Dayaks are forgotten, sidelined in business opportunities and have not been given a fair share of the country’s wealth.
“We have compromised and tolerated the policy, the injustice and inequality meted against us,” he said, pointed out that even their rights already in their possessions such as native customary lands are being taken away from the community.
Allen called on Iban leaders like Douglas Uggah, Federal Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and state ministers Alfred Jabu, James Masing and William Mawan to support Dumpok’s call for a review of the economic quota.
“If you don’t say anything, don’t blame the government but blame our leaders,” he said.- The Broken Shield
