INDEPENDENT opposition party Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) is preparing a political unity charter aimed at consolidating the fragmented voices of Dayak community organisations across Sarawak, ahead of the state election due by mid-2026.
PBDS permanent chairman Dr John Brian Anthony (pic) said the blueprint, which will be circulated widely among Sarawak’s native communities — who make up around 60 per cent of the state's three million population — is a vital step towards restoring Dayak political cohesion and influence.
“It is important that we Dayaks are united under one common platform as there are too many scattered organisations representing the natives,” he said in a statement.
“Our voices are very fragmented now due to the disunity. That is why we are not effective in fighting for our rights in land issues, education, business, industries and political influence. We need to be an effective force to influence policies at the state and national level.”
The party, once a dominant force in Sarawak politics during the 1980s and early 1990s, is positioning itself to contest in Dayak-majority constituencies, particularly in central Sarawak. PBDS president Moses Ripai said the party has been urged by grassroots supporters to return to the political forefront.
“We have decided that we will field candidates in the coming Sarawak elections,” he said. “We are identifying the constituencies we will contest in, but they will be places where the Dayaks are the majority.”
He added, “The grassroots Dayaks are urging PBDS to be their voice as they want to fight for better rights and a greater share of the development progress in this state. We PBDS have the experience and the candidates to offer the Dayaks in Sarawak an effective voice.”
PBDS, formerly part of the federal Barisan Nasional coalition while serving in opposition at the state level, is now an unaffiliated party. Moses said that by remaining independent of both the Unity Government at the federal level and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) at the state level, PBDS could speak more freely and forcefully on Dayak issues.
Although the party currently holds no seats at state or federal level following a period of internal strife and leadership splits, it is seeking to rebuild its political base and reclaim relevance through a platform rooted in Dayak rights and representation.
“PBDS was once a very strong party,” Moses noted. “Now, we must rebuild that strength and show the Dayak people that we can once again be their voice in the halls of power.” - June 11, 2025
