(GPS) secretary-general Alexander Linggi has called for more Dayaks and Chinese from Sarawak to be appointed as deputy ministers to reflect a multiracial leadership in the unity government.
He said minority ethnic communities such as the Bidayuh, Lun Bawang, Kayan, Kenyah and Melanau, as well as the Iban, should be given the opportunity to serve in the new government.
“MPs from these various ethnic groups are obviously capable and have served several terms as MPs and Senators.
“Almost all of them had served as deputy ministers and one of them (Datuk Seri Doris Sophia Brodi) had also served as Dewan Negara Deputy Speaker. The broad experience of this line of leaders must be a consideration for appointment as deputy ministers.
The pampered handful of super-wealthy Dayaks who have collaborated with the Melanau/Malay controlled state for decades are now presenting themselves as being somehow ‘representative’ of the people of Sarawak to justify plum seats in the Federal Government.
What these immensely privileged fellows ought to be concentrating on is bringing forward a next generation of Dayak into a state government dominated by a minority group related to one family who raped the state and have long since outlasted what use they had as the catspaws for West Malaysia who wanted Sarawak’s oil.
It is time the Dayak communities received their due and gained proper representation in the state government and civil service. It is time their lands were restored and decent services were brought to their homes.
Sarawak is a rich state and yet most of its tiny population of Dayak people have been left to live like paupers whilst the likes of the Linggis have held office and basked in enormous wealth for decades.
If Alexander Lingi cares (rightly) about representation for the Dayak people he can concentrate on setting things right in his home state of Sarawak first rather than fussing for yet more powerful positions for himself.