KUCHING, July 20 — The “lain-lain” (others) checkbox in government forms will be retained for Sarawak’s non-Muslims as an option for those who do not want to be referred to as “Dayak”, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embah said.
Those who prefer the term “Dayak” to describe their race, however, can select that option, the minister said.
“Instead of arguing too much on the racial identities of the non-Muslim natives in Sarawak, it is better that we retain ‘lain-lain’ for those who still want to be called ‘lain-lain’ when filling up official federal government forms,” he said.
Uggah, who is the co-chairman of the Bumiputera Minorities Technical Committee, said there are many non-Muslim natives in Sarawak who do not want to be called “Dayak” and prefer “lain-lain” instead.
The minister added that the technical committee has finalised a paper on the recommendations on the use of racial terms to denote the various non-Muslims natives in Sarawak and Sabah.
“The paper will be presented to the federal Cabinet pretty soon and I expect the recommendations to be implemented later this year,” he said.
Uggah said implementation of the policy will involve many federal government agencies, including the Immigration Department, National Registration Department and Royal Malaysian Police.
He added said the technical committee has recommended that the term “Anak Negeri” be used to refer to the non-Muslim natives of Sabah.
The committee is co-chaired by Energy, Green Technology And Water Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili representing the non-Muslim natives in Sabah while Uggah represents the non-Muslim natives in Sarawak.
Federal ministers from Sarawak and Sabah sit as members of the technical committee.
Many Dayak-based non-governmental organisations, professionals and non-Muslim civil servants here have been campaigning for the use of the term “Dayak” to replace “lain-lain” in official government forms, arguing that this is to show recognition of the state’s many native groups.
