12 January 2024
On Today Show
— Ebau Emang, Residents of Long Bemang Baram – Baram's Log Roads in Disrepair: Toll Collection Highlights Government Inaction
— George Laeng from Uma Akeh – Fairness for All: Demanding Equal Land Rights Treatment from GPS
— Agnes from Selangau – Empowering Communities: The Journey to Protecting Land Rights
— Dennis, activist from Ulu Baram – Government Faces Prolonged Issue of Illegal Workers in Sarawak
Topik Pada Hari Ini
- Ebau Emang, Penduduk Long Bemang Baram - Jalan KayuBalak Rosak: Tol Menonjolkan Kurang Tindakan daripada Kerajaan
- George Laeng dari Uma Akeh - Keadilan untuk Semua: Menuntut Rawatan Hak Tanah Sama Rata dari GPS
- Agnes dari Selangau - Memperkasakan Komuniti: Perjalanan Menjaga Hak Tanah
- Dennis, aktivis dari Ulu Baram - Kerajaan Menghadapi Isu Pekerja Haram yang Berpanjangan di Sarawak
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*Special Randau*
1. Residents of Kampung Long Bemang started collecting a RM30 toll to repair the logging area around Long Bemang Baram. The GPS government failed to upgrade or improve 578 KM of Balak road as promised last year.
2. Najib's lawyer wrote a letter to the Minister of Communications to force NETFLIX to stop showing the documentary Man on the Run.
3. The Speaker of Parliament advised the opposition to submit a motion of no confidence against Anwar, instead of making false statements. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul criticized the PAS information chief who said many no-confidence motions were submitted but were rejected by the Speaker. However, according to parliamentary records, the opposition has never submitted a no-confidence motion against PMX.
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Ebau Emang, Residents of Long Bemang Baram
*Baram's Log Roads in Disrepair: Toll Collection Highlights Government Inaction*
Today, RFS received information from a resident of Baram who refused to be named. Stating that residents around Long Bemang started collecting a RM30 toll for every car passing through the log road around the village. According to him the matter was done to collect as much money as possible to repair the damaged road (log road) around their village.
RFS spoke to Ebau Emang who confirmed that the log road leading to Long Bemang was badly damaged. In particular the part of the Interhill logging concession that they have abandoned due to running out of logs. According to Emang again, many log roads in Baram were damaged and abandoned by logging companies that closed their operations because the area had run out of logs. Meanwhile, the GPS government did nothing.
Last March 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that a large allocation was given to upgrade the log roads around Baram, Limbang and Belaga, the entire route is 578 km long. And the repair and upgrade work must be completed before December 25, 2023. But according to Emang, there are only minor repair works. Making the log roads to villages and longhouses in Baram very dangerous to travel at this time.
Please contact us to express your opinion regarding this issue
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George Laeng from Uma Akeh
*Fairness for All: Demanding Equal Land Rights Treatment from GPS*
Recently, the Mulu land surveying issue has garnered attention and discussions within the inland community. Many have expressed their preference for the use of Section 18 to survey land instead of the state government's requirement of Section 6, which categorizes the land as native communal title.
George Laeng stated that the GPS government is biased towards Muslim communities, allowing them to use Section 18 to survey land and claim land rights. However, they employ Section 6 to target the inland people, aiming to seize their land rights. He strongly demands fair treatment from GPS for every ethnic group.
Furthermore, he mentioned that GPS uses various means to take away the land rights of the inland people, including buying off village chiefs to create division within the villages. He pointed out that in a recent road construction project involving the land rights of inland people, GPS did not engage in discussions with the affected villagers but dealt directly with the village chiefs, providing compensation without clarifying how it should be distributed among the affected villagers.
He emphasized that the compensation distribution should consider the varying crops and quantities planted by individuals on the relevant land. Arbitrary compensation from GPS could lead to severe divisions within the village.
He believes that for any development project affecting the land rights of villagers, everyone must be convened for discussions, not just relying on the village chief alone. He urges GPS not to manipulate the situation.
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Agnes from Selangau
*Empowering Communities: The Journey to Protecting Land Rights*
Agnes has a successful experience to defended her ancestral land from being encroached upon by plantation companies. Until now, no one dares to disturb Agnes' property rights and also the community land rights.
During an interview about land measurement, Agnes firmly stated that she does not allow government agencies to survey their community land because they does not want their land to be surveyed under Section 6. Agnes does not trust the practice of surveying first under Section 6 and then under Section 18.
According to her, this is a deception against the indigenous people. She questions why the Malay community can easily obtain grants under Section 18, while the Dayak people are subjected to Section 6.
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Dennis, activist from Ulu Baram
*Government Faces Prolonged Issue of Illegal Workers in Sarawak*
In an incident, the Immigration Miri Team arrested 37 individuals for failure to produce valid working permits at a food center in Miri. Denis is of the opinion that this issue is a prolonged and very serious problem that has persisted since previous governments, and the particular incident is just the tip of the iceberg. It is believed that due to non-transparency, there are thousands of illegal workers in other sectors, especially in oil palm plantations. This has also led to untouchable corruption in Sarawak, causing lax entry control.
However, there seems to be a positive change, as nowadays public servants appear to be more vigilant and efficient under the current government. The impact of these illegal workers includes tax evasion, and the issue exacerbates problems such as fewer job opportunities for local people, as big companies prefer to employ foreigners.
Denis urges the government to be stricter with money changers, especially regarding foreigners sending money to their home countries. He suggests implementing a monitoring system to limit the amount that can be sent out, thereby addressing the economic impact of illegal workers.