Dayak biz group urges PM to make development in Sarawak a priority

KUCHING: A business group here has called on new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to establish a close and strong relationship with Sarawak.

Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) secretary-general Libat Langub (pic) expressed hopes that Anwar would prioritise development programmes and increase funding for the state.

"We hope Anwar will allocate more funds for Sarawak in Budget 2023 for infrastructure, especially roads, clean water, electricity, reliable telecommunications and Internet connectivity, and improve educational facilities, especially in the rural areas of Sarawak," he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 25).

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Congratulating Anwar on his appointment, Libat also urged the Prime Minister to restore Sarawak's rights and claims and amicably resolve any outstanding issues under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

In addition, he said the Federal Government should review and monitor the implementation of national economic and educational policies in favour of Sarawak's native communities to ensure that the target groups are reached.

"In this regard, we ask that the Federal Government allocate more seats or set up quotas for the intake of Dayak students at tertiary level and provide a bigger allocation of scholarship funds or other forms of financial assistance for them," he said.

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Libat also requested a specific economic policy to cater to issues affecting the Dayak business community and a dedicated unit under the Prime Minister's Department to implement the policy.

"This is long overdue as we are left economically far behind the other business communities.

"In this way, we believe the native business community can be assisted, enabling us to participate meaningfully in the country’s business and economy," he said.