PBDS calls for unity, coordinated action between political leaders and academics for the future of the Dayak people

KUCHING, Nov 5 2025: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) has called for unity and coordinated action between political leaders and academics for the future of the Dayak people.

Dr Bernard Tahim: For PBDS, the struggle is not about who is right, but about what is right for the future of the Dayak people.
 

Its deputy president Dr Bernard Tahim said the need to align the directions of politics, academia and community must be prioritised in advancing Dayak progress.

“PBDS asserts that meaningful development cannot be achieved if each group works in isolation,” he said in a statement today.

He stressed politics without knowledge becomes blind while knowledge without action becomes paralysed, adding that a community without good leadership loses its sense of direction.

“Therefore, PBDS calls for the creation of a Dayak Coordination Platform whose purpose is to unite political leaders, academics, youth, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in drafting a long-term development agenda, whether through the proposed Dayak Community Special Unit (UKMD) or an alternative, a more integrated plan,” Dr Bernard suggested.

“From discourse to implementation, the Dayak people must no longer be a race that merely talks about NCR land, poverty, education, and economic opportunity without tangible outcomes.

“PBDS emphasises that every discourse must be followed by action, and every institution established must have a strategic plan with transparent annual performance indicators,” he said.

He said the Dayak nation must break free from what he called the cycle of “talk without results.”

He said the Dayak must rise together, adding that differences in opinion should not lead to division — rather, they should mark the beginning of a collective awakening, where political courage is supported by academic wisdom and fueled by grassroots spirit.

PBDS urges all parties to see the differences in opinion not as a personal dispute but as a call for unity and genuine reform of the Dayak nation.

“For PBDS, the struggle is not about who is right, but about what is right for the future of the Dayak people,” he added.

He said the party takes note of a recent public debate surrounding the proposal by Selanagu  Member of Parliament Edwin Banta for the establishment of UKMD under the Prime Minister’s Department. He noted that proposal aims to strengthen the socio-economic position of the Dayak community through a structured approach, modeled after the Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA).

He also said that the party views the differing opinions expressed by academics such as Datuk Professor Dr Jayum Jawan and Datuk Professor Dr Madeline Berma over the proposed UKMD as a healthy and mature debate as a sign of growing awareness in the discourse on Dayak development.

“However, PBDS stresses that the time for debate has long passed. Now is the time for action,” he said.

Dr Bernard said the party fully supports Edwin’s political courage, saying that it appreciates the MP’s initiative and boldness in presenting a concrete proposal to strengthen Dayak development at the national level.

He said the establishment of UKMD proves that there are Dayak representatives with vision and bravery to pursue institutional empowerment as a crucial step to ensure Dayak development is no longer a mere footnote in the government’s broader policies.

“While PBDS values the academic perspectives shared by Jayum and Madeline, it cautions that academic analysis should not be used as a reason to avoid implementation.

“Academic knowledge should serve as a guiding force to strengthen proposed policies — not to extinguish the enthusiasm of those seeking new solutions.

“PBDS urges Dayak academics to step beyond theoretical discussions and join in designing practical implementation plans that can bring real impact to the Dayak community,” Dr Bernard stressed.

In recent comments published in the Borneo Post, Jayum rejected Edwin’s proposal as “misplaced” and “a half-baked idea discussed over a bowl of kampua noodles.”

He had claimed that the Dayaks’ lack of progress was largely due to the mediocrity of their own lawmakers in introducing workable solutions that could really  and resolve key issues.

Madeline, meanwhile, had said that setting up a new institution meant creating another bureaucratic layer that would not address the root causes of Dayak underdevelopment such as high poverty rates, low academic achievement, unemployment, and low income levels.

She had suggested that the focus should instead be on strengthening governance and ensuring existing ministries and programmes deliver effectively.