If DNC and SGDA can work as a team, I don's see why Dayak political parties can't, SDGA boss says

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, Dec 20, 2014: Two Dayak-based non-governmental organisations - Dayak National Congress (DNC) and Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) today pledged to upgrade their level of cooperation and collaboration following the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

"With the MoU, we will have greater cooperation and collaboration in undertaking activities and programmes which are beneficial to the Dayak community," SDGA president Dusit Jaul said in a joint press conference held at DNC office at the MJC new township in Batu Kawah, near here.

Dusit Jaul (2nd left) and Mengga Mikui exchanging MoU documents after the signing ceremony.

"We believe that we can do a lot if we work in together and partnership, and at a macro level, we seek to cooperate and collaborate will all the stakeholders in Sarawak.

"The Dayak community cannot do it alone as we in Sarawak need to work together," he said.

Dusit said it is the trends today for every stakeholders to work together.

He also called on other Dayak-based NGOs, like Sarawak Dayak National Union, Sarawak Dayak Iban Association, Dayak Bidayuh National Association, Orang Ulu National Association and Dayak Forum to work as a team.

"We will welcome any Dayak NGOs which wishes to come and join us as partners," he said, adding that the aspirations and aims of these NGOs are similar as they all want to work for the betterment of the community.

"What the MoU signed by DNC and SDGA trying to do to the Dayak community is to work through a different platform, which we believe will enhance and pull our resources together.

"While DNC's objectives are based on economic, culture and social, SDGA's objective is education," he said.

Dusit also called on Dayak-based political parties to find a common platform on which they can cooperate and collaborate with one another.

"If DNC and SDGA can cooperate and collaborate with one another, I don't see any reasons why Dayak-based parties cannot do the same," he said.

He said the immediate target of DNC-SDGA cooperation and collaboration is to come up with a Dayak Development Framework, which is expected to be finalised within three months.

"We have conducted a series of workshops throughout to get inputs for this framework.  Our next workshops will be held in Sibu and Miri early next year," he said.

The framework, he said, will cover education, civil service, culture, legal and NCR land issues over the next 20 years.

He said another activity will be the holding of the Malam Warisan Dayak Borneo, which has been planned to held either in April or May next year.

"We will extend our invitations to Dayaks in Sabah, Kalimantan and Brunei to attend. The Dayaks in Sabah include Kadazandusuns and other non-Muslim natives," he said.

DNC president Mengga Mikui said that it is DNC's wish to see cooperation and collaboration between Dayak-based NGOs and Chinese and Malay-based NGOs.

"We must set aside our differences and let's work together for the common good of all communities," he said, adding that there are many areas where all ethnic groups in Sarawak can work together.

"When we work together, we will create a bigger body and major impact. We need to move forward to help our state to prosper and progress," he said.