Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu has reiterated his demand that the Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) makes a public apology to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud for not inviting him to speak at a seminar in Kuala Lumpur last year.

The seminar, organised by SDGA and sponsored by the Prime Minister's Department, discussed the Outline Perspective Plan of the Eighth Malaysia Plan on the government's policy to accord recognition to bumiputera minorities - the Dayaks in Sarawak and Kadazadusun and Muruts in Sabah.

Then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad (photo) officiated the opening while its patron was Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Bernard Dompok.

Invitations were sent out to state leaders in Sabah and Sarawak. However, the chief ministers of both states were not slotted to speak at the opening dinner.

This, according to Jabu, was an embarrassment to Abdul Taib and a 'snub' that warranted an explanation and apology from SDGA president Prof Dimbab Ngidang and the organising committee.

'Dirty tactics'

At an Orang Ulu development forum yesterday officiated by Abdul Taib, his deputy raised the issue once again and accused SDGA of being "polluted with dirty tactics".

He said what happened in Kuala Lumpur had "'brought shame to the state government".

Jabu (photo) then apologised to the chief minister over the incident and told him that he had not played a role in it.

He claimed that when he confronted SDGA officials as to why Abdul Taib was not invited to speak, he was given "lectures" filled with the "kind of talk" not favourable to the state government.

He said SDGA left out Abdul Taib's name on the grounds that there were already too many speakers.

SDGA responds

Responding to this renewed attack, a SDGA spokeseprson told malaysiakini today that the association had never intended to embarrass anyone, much less the chief minister.

According to him, the seminar was sponsored by the Prime Minister's Department and both Dompok and then Minister of Energy, Communications and Multimedia Leo Moggie (photo) were instrumental in organising it with SDGA support.

Sources said the association had irked Jabu when it went ahead with a seminar last week that highlighted the high poverty levels among the non-Muslim bumiputera groups in Sarawak.

Its organisers claimed that there were even attempts to get participants who registered to stay away from the seminar.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Land Development Minister Dr James Masing was reported in local newspapers as saying he welcomed the prospect of working together with SDGA, particularly on land development issues, in order to help address the poverty issues among the rural communities.

A SDGA spokesperson said the association was pleased with the minister's response and would write to him.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.