KUCHING: Sometimes what is practised and enforceable over a long period of time is better than what is inked, said Youth and Sports Assistant Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan.
He said this when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune for comments on Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) secretary-general Julius Enchanca’s statement on the recognition of the term “Dayak”.
“In the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the term ‘indigenous people’ of the Borneo territories includes the ‘Dayaks’ which is both implicit and explicit,” he said.
The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief further said that this is why the matter has to be pursued via, and within the context of, the MA63 at both the federal and state levels in order to get to the roots of the issue.
“It is more holistic and not a piecemeal approach. Therefore, if you are asking about the walk, the pursuit of MA63 should be the ultimate answer and destination.
“And at the state level, we would have realised that the state administration has been passionate about the Dayaks,” he explained.
He pointed out that though they are fragmented, the Dayaks are well-represented in the state administration.
“Over the years we have noted that Dayaks are improving across the board, progressively rather than leapfrogging.
“In a nutshell, let the practice prevail over theory. After all, common laws are derived from common customs and practices,” he said.
