MCO Lockdown Nothing for Victims of Bonded Labour | Broadcast 24 April 2020

ENGLISH - On today’s show, the MCO has been extended once again and most Malaysians seem sanguine. Dr Penguang, YB for Marudi, tells us that this is based on the advice of experts. Cases might be going down but that does not mean that the danger has completely passed. Public spaces are still being made safe and we must all make sure that cases are fully under control. We must all continue to be vigilant in personal hygiene and social distancing, he says, even when the MCO is eventually lifted. Gawai might be coming up on the calendar, just as Ramadan has just started, but it cannot be celebrated in the same way. The phrase ‘new normal’ is becoming a new favourite.

Then we speak to Amoi from Singkawang in Kalimantan, who has escaped the chains of bonded labour with the single idea that braving a Covid infection is nothing compared to the suffering she has endured for the last 6 months. A modern slave, she had her passport taken from her, kept a prisoner by her boss who fed her nothing but eggs and noodles. Her employer, who apparently makes a living from multiple illegal operations, hasn’t even paid her salary as she hasn’t seen a sen for three months already. So she is making for the border, even though her boss threatened to send thugs after her should she ever leave. What awaits her, either infection or arrest, she doesn’t care, as sadly she now knows for sure that the grass isn’t greener on this side of the border.

Iwenk from Kabar Bumi Indonesia has unfortunately seen all too many cases of this kind. She tells us about the many human trafficking victims sold into syndicates by gangsters and then forced to run away, often leaving their passports behind. She warns that they must even be careful when they return home in case of retribution from the agents on the other side. Thankfully NGOs are on hand to offer some assistance should they make it home safely.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Batang Lupar, Erik and Kana from Tatau tell us that their work on the Pan Borneo Highway and the ferry terminal across the river sees so many Indonesian workers in transit. Coming from factories and plantations, they have no pay, no food, no healthcare and no aid from anyone. They should all be assisted to return home, they both say, to protect everyone in the state from either disease or deprivation.

Up in Batu Niah, the long queues to withdraw BPN money continue at the only bank in the town. Apai Gell tells us that the police are working hard to ensure social distancing measures, but it doesn’t bode well for the end of the month. What will happen when all the plantation workers want to withdraw their salary? The rural health clinic cannot cope with any influx of covid cases as it has never seen any improvements in its entire period of operation. It is time they built a hospital and employed more doctors, he adds.

We end with two international interviews of indigenous solidarity. Pallab Chakma of Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh tells us that his people are protecting their territories in the old style, with bamboo fences and a lockdown of their own. No one can leave their land without the consent of the elders and so they are busy stockpiling foods for the future, preserving, salting and drying what they need to guard against food shortages even though many of the villagers still grow their own vegetables. But they are making sure their own community is well-informed. As soon as the news of covid came from official sources, they began making videos in their own language to spread the message and protect their people.

Over in New Zealand, Charm Skinner of the Ngāti Wairere Maori from Aotearoa, says that indigenous communities must exercise their own self-determination, now more than ever. Only they know how best to fit this crisis to their own communities. Since the government does not consult them about processes or provide them with security, they must do things their own way. Drawing on their own experience of blockading against unsustainable resource extraction on their ancestral lands, they are keeping out covid just as they have kept out commercial exploitation. In the end, however, she says that there has never been a better time than now for indigenous people everywhere to push their message of environmental protection and cultural preservation. The world has a lot to learn from indigenous solidarity.

Tune in for all this and more, including our usual Berita Menoa. Semoa Kitai Tau Bejako!

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IBAN - Dalam progrem ari Radio Nyawa Sarawak lemai tu,trubah kami ngenang perintah ti ngelanjarka pengelama Atur Besekat Pemindah ti endang disadang rayat Malaysia. YB sitak Marudi Dr.Penguang madahka nya endang nitihka penemu orang ti pandai pasal pengerai. Orang ti ngidapka coronavirus majak kurang tang penyakit nya apin punas di menua tu. Pendiau rayat apin likun nya alai semua mesti mengkang ngembuan atur pemeresi lalu enda klalu semak berandau enggau pangan, trus ngagai maya Atur Besekat Pemindah nadai agi dipejalaika perintah. Kitai nadai rami lebuh Hari Raya enggau Gawai Dayak taun tu, laban kitai mesti nitihka atur peranggai-pendiau ti baru dikena bejaga ari penyakit ti dras berampit.

Kami bisi berandau enggau Amoi ari Singkawang, Kalimantan Barat. lya belalai rari tinggal passport ari tokey ti endur iya gawa di Sarawak, laban tokey nya merinsaka iya. lya ngelalau sida ti diambi gawa di Sarawak ti udah rari mesti bejimat enggaika orang ti jai nemu endur sida. lya meri terima kasih ngagai NGO ti udah nulung iya, lalu diatu iya udah  likun datai ba rumah tanggai iya.

Erik seduai Kana ti bekuli gawa ngaga jamatan Batang Lupar ba jalai raya Pan Boneo, madahka mayuh bala rayat lndonesia ti udah gawa di Sarawak, sida pulai puang jari nadai dibayar gaji, nadai dibekal barang pemakai, bisi nadai pengerai, nadai orang nulung sida. Patut sida dianjung peritah pulai manah- manah dikena nagang coronavirus berampit di Sarawak.

Di pasar Batu Niah, panjai bendar orang bebaris ti deka ngeluarka duit tulung BPN. Apai Gell madahka polis bisi jaga dikena nentuka sida enda klalu semak ari pangan diri, bakatu penusah maya bala anak kuli ti ngeluarka duit gaji sida lebuh ujung bulan. lya arapka perintah jampat ngaga sapital lalu  bisi lutur gawa di pasar Batu Niah laban klinik diatu klalu mimit enda tetangkupka pemayuh orang ti berubat kia tiap hari.

Penududi kitai ningaka 2 iti berita antarabansa ti ngenang bansa asal. Trubah Pallah Chakma ari Chittagong di menua Bangkadesh. lya madahka sida di menua nya magar pemakai menua sida buluh, lalu sida  mesti nyaga tanah diriempu.Sapa ti mindah ninggalka tanah sida mesti bulih pemendar ari tuai sida  maya atur bekurung diatu. Sida bekasamka sayur awakka sida enda suntuk barang pemakai maya atur bekurung diatu,sida endang mayuh betanamka sayur. Berengkah ari perintah bejalaika atur bekurung sida lalu ngaga video dalam jaku sida dikena nusui atur bekurung ti dipejalaika perintah.

Charm Skinner ari New Zealand siku bansa Ngāti Wairere Maori ari Aotearoa, madahka sida ngaga atur jalai-pendidup sidaempu dikena belabuh ari diatu nyentukka jemah ila. lya madahka semina sidaempu ti nemu atur jalai-pengidup ti nguntungka sidaempu, laban perintah nadai ibuhka pengelikun sida, nya sida ngaga atur dikena bejaga ari coronavirus sebaka enggau ti dikena nyaga tanah enggau main asal sida. Nya alai bansa asal sekayu dunya tu patut neladan atur bansa asal di New Zealand dikena ngemansangka jalai pengidup enggau nanka kuasa bansa diri.

Pendingka cherita bukai nyengkaum Berita Menua ari Radio Nyawa Sarawak lemai tu. Semua Kitai Tau Bejaku!