Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) deputy president Daniel Tajem has made it clear that the party must continue to be led and controlled by Dayaks.

In an interview published today in the Sunday Tribune, he said he would not compromise o­n the status of PBDS.

"PBDS was formed by a group of Dayaks to articulate the Dayak cause and was so named - Parti Bansa Dayak

Sarawak. It is a Dayak-based party and I hold the view that it should be such," he said.

Tajem, a former Sarawak deputy chief minister and former Malaysian envoy to New Zealand, proclaimed: "On that, I don't compromise. We can play a secondary or minor role but the party must be led and controlled by Dayaks."

Would he not be concerned about being labelled a racist?, Tajem was asked.

His reply: "Well, if that's the case, then I treat it as a compliment. At least, they know that Dayaks exist."