KUCHING: The unity government must translate the concept of "Malaysia Madani" into tangible results in implementing the 12th Malaysia Plan's mid-term review (12MP MTR), says the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).
Its secretary-general, Libat Langub, said it was important to ensure that the concept did not remain a mere slogan and that no community in Malaysia's diverse society was marginalised.
He said the 12MP MTR was commendable as it commenced to eradicate hardcore poverty and address fundamental infrastructure and the basic needs of the people, including improving schools and underprivileged clinics and ensuring clean water supply.
"As an indigenous chamber of commerce, DCCI applauds the implementation of various initiatives to eradicate poverty across all ethnicities, which includes special programmes for Bumiputera Sarawak.
"However, the government must ensure the implementation of such programmes will reach and benefit the targeted and deserving group of Bumiputera," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 12).
Libat also welcomed the implementation of more projects to rebuild dilapidated schools in Sabah and Sarawak under the 12MP MTR, including 64 projects currently ongoing in Sarawak, as well as the construction of a public health lab and food security and quality lab in Kuching.
"Federal projects on education and health have been nagging issues in Sarawak," he noted.
In addition, he said strengthening the development of native customary rights (NCR) lands based on an integrated land development approach through cooperation among federal agencies, state governments, and the private sector was important for NCR landowners.
"The government should study the present and past successes and failures of NCR land developments in Sarawak and improve on them for the benefit of NCR landowners," he said.
Libat added that DCCI applauded the government's intention to expedite survey and mapping exercises of NRR land to facilitate the gazetting and granting of land titles.
"This will ensure that the rights and interest of the NCR landowners in their NCR lands will be properly documented in the Land Registry, which will also enhance the commercial value of their lands," he said.
