KUCHING: Sarawak’s bumiputera business chambers want to hear more about government plans to implement the 30 per cent allocation for bumiputeras in various sectors, especially infrastructure development
“This is because we feel like we are still being left behind, there are things going on in our midst that we are unaware of,” said their Steering Committee Chairman, Datuk Leonard Martin Uneng.
“We would like to discuss with the appropriate ministries how the said funds can be implemented for the benefit of the bumiputera business community, and this 30 per cent is very important to us,” he said.
Leonard represented the Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Chambers of Sarawak Bumiputera Entrepreneurs (DUBS) and Sarawak Branch of Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia (PKMM) at a press conference held today (June 21).
He pointed out that during the first phase of the Pan Borneo highway implementation, for instance, the government policy was to allocate 30 per cent to Sarawak’s bumiputera contractors.
“The question now is whether the policies are being implemented and what is the status in respect to our participation,” he said.
He added that none of the registered bumiputera chambers is participating as main contractor in the first phase of the Pan Borneo highway project.
“There are approximately 900 members and roughly around 400 companies in DCCI and there are more in DUBS.
“So we’re talking about hundreds of bumiputera companies out there but of course there are different levels of categories.”
According to him, they want greater participation of bumiputera contractors in the next phase of the Pan Borneo Highway.
“We are not dictating this to the government, but rather we want to find out how best we can participate, and we think that we can be trained or empowered too,” he added.
