BY NATASHA JEE & SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA
KUCHING: The Sarawak government has a policy of inclusivity so that all communities can benefit from the state’s development and economic agenda.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the three main ethnic groups – Dayaks, Malay Melanau and Chinese – more or less shared the same proportion of what the state had in store.
“As such we must have a common platform because we know no one community can rule the state alone. It must be the collective responsibility of all races to develop the state.
“…and that will be my political platform. We cannot run away from that. Therefore, the inclusivity approach must be there,” he said during the earth-breaking ceremony of the Dayak Cultural Foundation (DCF) and Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) headquarters, Jalan Ong Tiang Swee here on today.
He said this was why he approved another development – the DCF and DCCI building – for the Dayak community.
“As we in the government have our own direction that is for Sarawak to be the most developed state in Malaysia by 2030, and for that to happen, we have to upgrade the environment that is the basic infrastructure, improve our talents and take into account what is happening around the world because we are part and parcel of the global economic agenda.
“Having said that, myself, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and the Dayak leaders in the government have said that we must also prepare the Dayak community too in order to participate in these significant changes in economic landscape without losing your identity.”
Abang Johari then lauded the DCF and DCCI’s building design concept which not only included modern and green facilities but at the same time a platform to preserve Dayak culture.
“Therefore, our economic development will be surrounded through the core development agenda that is digital economy and environmental sustainability because we want to protect our environment as well.”
He said the state would be laying out new policy on forestry and new methods to develop the forestry sector.
Also present were Uggah, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi; Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jawong, State Secretary Jaul Samion and DCCI president Datuk Leonard Martin Uning, managing trustee of DCF Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leonard Linggi Jugah.
