14 August 2024
On Today Show
— Tr. Keliang ak Suat, Head of Merakai Village, Serian – Unresolved Land Conflict: Tensions Escalate During Failed Negotiations
— Thomas Jalong, ex president of the indigenous network – Transparency and Trust: Indigenous Communities Stand Firm Against Hidden Dam Plans
— Tay Wei Wei, the Information Chief of PKR Sarawak – PKR Sarawak's Tay Wei Wei to Tackle MyKad Concerns in Rural Sabah and Sarawak
Topik Pada Hari Ini
— Tr. Keliang ak Suat, Ketua Kampung Merakai, Serian – Konflik Tanah Belum Selesai: Ketegangan Meningkat Semasa Rundingan Gagal
— Thomas Jalong, bekas presiden rangkaian masyarakat asli – Ketelusan dan Kepercayaan: Komuniti Asli Tetap Teguh Menentang Rancangan Empangan Tersembunyi
— Tay Wei Wei, Ketua Penerangan PKR Sarawak – Tay Wei Wei dari PKR Sarawak untuk Menangani Isu MyKad di Kawasan Pedalaman Sabah dan Sarawak
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Special Randau
1. Failed to open the blockade of Merakai villagers in Serian. The land and surveying department acted as a mediator to resolve the problem of residents' land price claims taken by the Tradewind Melur Gemilang Plantation company. The Land and Survey Office started calling family heads from Monday and continues until today - said tr. Keliang and Suat.2. Extension until Sept 2024 for 2 of Tun Mahathir's sons to declare property as requested by sprm. This is an extension of the last period - said SPRM Chief Commissioner Azam Baki. If they fail, they will be prosecuted. Mirzan and Mokzani have previously failed to declare their assets several times.
3. Environmental lawyer - Simon Siah urged the state government to be honest with the residents involved with the government's plans to build cascading dams in Belaga, Gaat and Tutoh. This is important because their lives will definitely be affected. It involves the river and the people's livelihood depends on the results from the river. Give all the necessary information according to FPIC - Said Simon Siah.
------------------------Tr. Keliang ak Suat, Head of Merakai Village, Serian
Unresolved Land Conflict: Tensions Escalate During Failed Negotiations
Keliang gives an update on the blockade that has been established since 2 months 26 days ago. Blocakde was established to prevent the Tradewind Melor Gemilang company from harvesting palm oil in the land claimed by the people of Merakai village. The land of more than 2000 hectares has been cultivated by Tradewind Melor Gemilang with oil palm cultivation (called a joint venture). But after palm oil bore fruit. The company does not give any profit to the villagers. Therefore, the people set up a blockade. The company failed to enter the plantation and could not collect the palm oil. Last Thursday 8 August 2024, the company sent a representative to negotiate with the residents at the blockade site. But it failed because the company's alleged representative brought with them 60 thugs, spoke rudely, carried weapons and intended to open the blockade. 4 days after the event, the land and survey department invited the residents to dialogue and it lasted until yesterday and today. The land and survey department asked 95 heads of families to confirm the position of their land as shown on the map. Only then can compensation be paid. Residents are demanding land prices and compensation of 100 thousand ringgit for each family/door. The meeting with the land and surveying department will continue today until all family heads are called - said TR Keliang ak Suat.
------------------------Thomas Jalong, ex president of the indigenous network
Transparency and Trust: Indigenous Communities Stand Firm Against Hidden Dam Plans
Lawyers representing environmental groups and indigenous communities are calling on the Sarawak government to be more transparent about the proposed cascading dam projects that could have significant impacts on indigenous peoples. They criticize the government for withholding crucial information, a practice that has been observed during the construction of previous hydroelectric dams in Batang Ai, Bakun, and Murum, leading to widespread distrust among affected communities.
Thomas Jalong, speaking on behalf of a Civil Society Organization (CSO) and the indigenous community, emphasized that transparency is essential in any development process, particularly when it comes to projects that will directly affect indigenous peoples. He stressed that transparency is a fundamental principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), which must be prioritized from the initial stages of planning through to the completion of any development project. This approach ensures the full involvement of communities who will face the consequences of such projects, potentially benefiting them rather than harming them.
Thomas further pointed out that FPIC is aligned with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), a critical human rights instrument that protects the rights of all people. In support of this, Thomas backed the demands made by Lawyer Simon Siah from Lawyer Kamek for Change (LK4C) and Peter Kallang from Save Rivers, who both advocate for greater transparency and full disclosure of information regarding the dam projects.
------------------------Tay Wei Wei, the Information Chief of PKR Sarawak
PKR Sarawak's Tay Wei Wei to Tackle MyKad Concerns in Rural Sabah and Sarawak
Tay Wei Wei, the Information Chief of PKR Sarawak, has been appointed as the Special Officer for the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) for Sabah and Sarawak. In his new role, he will focus more on the issue of citizenship in Sarawak and Sabah. This focus is due to the fact that, since Dato' Seri Saifuddin Nasution became the Minister of Home Affairs, there have been numerous complaints regarding the lack of MyKad among the rural populations in Sarawak and Sabah.
As a result, Mr. Tay Wei Wei has been appointed to this position to facilitate the process and report directly to the KDN headquarters. He will be meeting with the National Registration Department (JPN) of Sabah and Sarawak to obtain the latest status of pending applications and to understand the reasons why the issue of MyKad is still a significant concern, especially for the indigenous people.
Mr. Tay Wei Wei is open to collaborating with any individuals or activists who focus on citizenship issues in Sarawak and Sabah. His primary focus is on the issues in Sarawak, particularly concerning permanent citizenship problems for children from mixed marriages with foreign nationals.