Use of ‘Dayak’ in official forms not ready, says Entulu

SIBU: The Bumiputera Minority Technical Committee’s paper recommending the use of the word ‘Dayak’ to replace ‘Others’ or ‘Lain-lain’ in government official forms is not yet ready.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Joseph Entulu said the recommendation paper would be submitted to the Federal Cabinet for endorsement when completed.

“After the meeting on March 5, the secretariat, which is the Implementation Coordination Unit ( ICU), has not prepared the paper for the Cabinet to endorse.

“This could be due to the Sabah side of the issue not resolved yet. We are going to have another Bumiputera Minority Technical Committee meeting on May 12.

“I am sure there wi l l be discussion on that and only after that will the paper be submitted to the Cabinet for endorsement,” Entulu, who is Selangau MP and Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS) deputy-president, told The Borneo Post.

He added that the meeting would be co- chaired by Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili and Minister of Plantations Industries and Commodities Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah.

Entulu said this yesterday when asked on the development of the recommendation paper.

“The paper to say that the committee recommends the use of the word ‘Dayak’ to replace ‘lainlain’ in government official forms in the case of Sarawak, and in the case of Sabah, it will be probably be decided during the coming BTC meeting.”

Entulu had recommended the word ‘Dayak’ to the Bumiputera Minority Technical Committee to replace ‘Others’ or ‘Lain-lain’ in government official forms.

He said the decision was based on the unanimous fi nding after having met with Dayak professionals and Dayak- based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Sibu, Miri and Kuching recently to consult and gather their views to come up with the best classification.

During the recent live interview on TV1, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem had said he had no objection if the affected communities decided to use ‘Dayak’.