Dual Nationality; Single Nationality; No Nationality: Where Are Our Loyalties? | Broadcast 19 February 2020

ENGLISH - On today’s show, we consider the idea of divided loyalties as Idris Buang calls for only ‘loyal and true blue Sarawakians’ for public office. But in a globalised world and a Malaysia with massive levels of statelessness, what are the loyalties owed to and by our citizens? Brangka, 52, has an Iban father and a ‘foreign’ mother who has lived in and contributed to Sarawak for over 50 years. After many years in New Zealand, he wants to share Sarawak with his children from his ‘foreign’ wife. Together, the family are bringing innovative new techniques in farming to his home state. Yet, his children cannot hold his citizenship.

Charles, 33, a filmmaker, has an Iban mother and a ‘foreign’ father. Now married to an Iban from Kuching, he has to leave the country every three months at great expense and time from his family to continue to live in the country he would now like to serve. In addition, his mother, Maria, faces the reality that her only son cannot now inherit her land. With even permanent residency next to impossible to achieve, unless apparently you are a Kosovan footballer, perhaps the question of loyalty becomes all the more pressing for people who choose to stay even when the government chooses to reject them.

Bill Jugah, an activist who has dealt with issues of citizenship and statelessness for some time, wonders why Sarawak is rejecting returnees at one end of the spectrum and thousands of rural people at the other. Can we really afford to deny them their chance to contribute, he wonders? The brain drain continues.

Then Alexander, an Iban of Baram, tells us of his struggles to keep his child in school. A talented student, this girl is not being allowed to sit her exams and remains stateless because of her ‘foreign’ mother. What of the other two siblings to follow?

Then we talk to Datuk Ujang of Sungei Asap on the moves to change their district boundary, putting them under Sebauh district. 15 of the community’s leaders are lodging a protest as the move would put their district office miles from their location. Besides, they say, why should the Orang Ulu be put under Sebauh when they have been together with other Orang Ulu north of the watershed for hundreds of years?

We end with Ekonomi Rumah Panjai on the subject of alternative income from traditional kampung practices. Manoi from Kampung Entayan runs a successful home-grown handicraft business, employing several weavers. She must hunt far and wide for the natural materials she insists on using but, despite all the efforts, the results are worth it. Her products have been promoted across Malaysia and Sarawak has been promoted with them. Then Ik Waddell tells us about running a homestay on Bung Jagoi, the spiritual home of the Bidayuh of that area. The efforts of the whole community are protecting the forest, he says, including the wild kelulut from which they collect honey for sale. Commerce and community can go hand in hand.

Tune in for all this and more, including our usual Berita Menoa. Semoa kitai tau bejako!

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IBAN - Dalam programme ari Radio Nyawa Sarawak lemai tu, kita ningaka penemu ari Idris Buang ti minta semina rayat Sarawak ti taluk ti tau gawa ba opis perintah menua tu. Tang penusah ti nyata ba dunya nya mayuh bendar rayat Sarawak nadai MyKad, reti nya nadai menua, nadai kuasa ba menua tu.

Brangka anak Sidi ti beumur 52 taun, apai iya lban lalu indai iya orang Puteh ti udah diau lalu ngemansangka pengawa asal di Sarawak lebih 50 taun. Brangka udah lama diau di menua New Zealand, iya deka begulai sejalai enggau bini anak iya di Sarawak. Brangka orang ti bisi pemandai pasal pengawa bumai-bekebun ti dipelajarka iya di New Zealand, lalu deka mai penemu nya ka Sarawak kitu. Tang anak iya enda dikemendarka perintah nyadi peranak menua Sarawak.

Charles ti beumur 33 taun, ti landik ngaga wayang, indai iya lban tang apai ari England. Diatu iya bisi bini lalu diau di Kuching, tang sekali dalam 3 bulan iya mesti keluar ari Sarawak ngechop passport. Diatu iya deka diau tetap di Sarawak begulai sejalai enggau sida sebilik. Nambahka nya indai iya Maria madahka tanah pesaka iya enda tau diempu anak iya, laban enda ulih diau tetap di menua tu, tambah mega laban iya ukai orang ti pandai main ball ari menua Kosovo, penusah tu balat nuntung orang ti enda dikemendarka perintah diatu di menua tu.

Siku activist SADIA, Bill Jugah ti endang selalu nulung mutarka penusah orang ti nadai MyKad, nanyaka nama kebuah perintah Sarawak enggai ngemendarka rayat Sarawak pulai ngagai menua diriempu, diatu beribu orang dipesisir mengkang nadai dikemendarka nyadi rayat menua Sarawak. Patutka enda kitai enda nerima sida nya, ku iya. Orang ti pandai majak kurang sekurang - the brain drain continue?

Siku lban ari menua ulu Bram benama Alexander, nusui pasal pemerinsa iya nyengulaka anak. Anak indu iya ti chukup pandai ba pelajar sekula, tang enda dikemendarka masuk dalam peresa Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia- SPM, laban indai iya ti orang menua bukai, lalu mengkang nadai menua. Penusah tu tentu nuntung menyadi iya ti dua iku ti biak ?

Kami bisi berandau enggau Datuk Ujang Bengo ari Sungai Asap pasal perintah ti deka mindahka Sungai Asap di pegai Sebauh District Council. 15 iki Tuai Raban Bansa dia nyakal langgur penemu tu. Sida nanyaka nama kebuah Sungai Asap diasuh dipegai Sebauh District Council ti jauh ari menua sida. Kenyau ari jeman kalia sida endang orang ti bempu menua Belaga.

Pengujung ia, kami ngenang pasal Ekonomi Rumah Panjai, pasal pengawa ti tau dikena ngulihka penatai-pemisi. Manoi ari Kpg. Entayan, diatu ngemansangka pengawa pengelandik-jari, lalu iya bisi ngaji orang ti landik beranyam. Ba menua sida nadai agi rutan nya alai iya meli ari endur bukai. Asil pengawa pengelandik-jari enggi iya udah dijual di sereta menua Malaya enggau Sarawak. Nyadi berita ari Ik Waddell nusui pasal iya ti bisi homestay di Bung Jagoi, endur agama asal Bidayuh di menua nya. Sida di menua nya balat naanka kampung tuai dalam kandang pemakai menua sida, lalu dalam kampung tuai nya sida ngulihka madu engelulut ka dijual. Sida ti ngereja pengawa dagang lantang senang begulai enggau diri sekaban di menua nya.

Berita bukai tau dipendingka kita ari Radio Nyawa Sarawak. Semua Kitai Tau Bejaku!