Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing wants the Dayak community to be recognised not just in terms of development but also in terms of power sharing.
He said this would also help the state Barisan Nasional (BN) to ensure a majority win during the state election due in June 2016.
He also wanted the state's new and fifth Chief Minister Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) publicity chief Tan Sri Adenan Satem to ensure genuine power sharing, because if not, BN would have problems facing the opposition.
"Do not sideline the Dayaks in these two areas because we are going to face a lot of educated Dayaks (in the election) and they know where they stand," he said.
Masing also told Bernama that the main hurdle for BN in the next state election would be in the 29 Dayak-majority seats.
"PBB has the fixed deposit (27 seats) that you cannot touch, which are Muslim-majority areas while the Dayak community has 29 seats and these are where the attack will be from the opposition.
"We have to work harder because it is not going to be easy. There will be a lot of work to do in the next two years," said the Sarawak Land Development Minister.
He also told Bernama that the incoming new Chief Minister need to face the opposition with full strength.
"All he (Adenan) needs to do now is to get the cooperation of all the various component parties.
"Tan Sri Adenan has the intelligence to do that, but intelligence must be translated into political reality. We have to be united and work harder because it is not going to be easy," he added.
Sarawak has 71 state seats, of which 55 were won by BN in the last state election in 2011.
Syafique Shuib
Thu Feb 13 2014
Tan Sri Dr James Masing
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