THE move to appoint Datuk Mutang Tagal, who is from the Lun Bawang minority ethnic group, as the Senate president shows that Putrajaya recognises and appreciates the contributions of minority groups in Sarawak.
Sarawak PKR today said it was Prime Minister and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had given the final recommendation for Tagal to be the Senate president.
Its chairman Roland Engan, in a press statement, said the unity government wants to see minority ethnic groups from Sarawak be given a big role at the national front.
“We in Sarawak PKR thank the PM for making recommendations for Datuk Mutang Tagal to be the new Senate president.
“This is a testimony that Putrajaya does not forget the minorities in Sarawak.
“Tagal’s experience in politics (former MP for Bukit Mas in the early 1990s), his seniority in the business sector in Sarawak (president of Sarawak Orang Ulu Federation) and his qualifications in law make him a suitable candidate,” he said.
Sarawak PKR pledged to continue fighting for more minorities to be given bigger roles in national-level administration.
The Lun Bawang minority ethnic group is one of the smallest communities in the state and country, with roughly about 10,000 of them from their original ancestry.
Their home settlement in Sarawak is in the Bakelalan highlands.
Many youths had migrated to cities and towns for education and work. – The Vibes, February 20, 2024
