SARAWAK POLLS | Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) said it will nominate a Dayak chief minister should it form the government and receive enough representation from the Dayak lawmakers.
Speaking to reporters in Sibu today, PSB president Wong Soon Koh stressed that his party is multiracial but most of their 70 candidates are Dayak.
"If we want a Dayak chief minister, go all out and vote PSB. If we receive full support from the Dayak community - Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu - then obviously we will name a Dayak chief minister.
"In other words, if you want a Dayak chief minister, you must vote for PSB," said Wong.
PSB's manifesto does not explicitly promise a Dayak chief minister. Instead, PSB is promising a government where the chief minister and four deputy ministers will represent different ethnic groups.
Big towns
This multiracial group of top cabinet leaders will then collectively decide on the composition of other cabinet members.
The last Dayak chief minister was Tawi Sli. He left office in 1970 and was succeeded by Abdul Rahman Ya'kub. Every chief minister since is not a Dayak.
Collectively, the Dayak people are the majority in Sarawak, based on Department of Statistics figures.
This was not the first time Wong had pitched the idea of a Dayak chief minister. However, he did so today unprompted by reporters.
To a question on why PSB has not nominated a chief minister candidate, Wong said the priority is to win first and then choose a chief minister later.
Wong also urged the Chinese community to back PSB candidates as well to ensure their community is represented should his party form the government.
"Definitely a PSB government will include representatives from Sibu, Kuching, Miri and Bintulu. We need representation in big towns to ensure everyone's voice can be heard in government," he said.
PSB is fielding 38 Dayak candidates, followed by 18 Malay-Melanau candidates and 14 Chinese candidates. - Mkini
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