2 August 2024
On Today Show
— Gereng Jadum, Residents of Penan Metalun, Murum Resettlement area – Job Cuts and Blockades: The Penan's Struggle in Murum
— Dennis Along, President of the Tering Community Association Miri – Tering Community Leader Challenges Deputy Premier on Dayak Development
— Jeffrery Ngui, chairman of MUDA Sarawak – Opposition Unity and Democratic Values: Jeffrey Criticizes GPS's Remarks
Topik Pada Hari Ini
— Gereng Jadum, Penduduk Penan Metalun, Kawasan Penempatan Semula Murum – Pemotongan Pekerjaan dan Sekatan: Perjuangan Penan di Murum
— Dennis Along, Presiden Persatuan Komuniti Tering Miri – Pemimpin Komuniti Tering Mencabar Timbalan Perdana Menteri Mengenai Pembangunan Dayak
— Jeffrery Ngui, Pengerusi MUDA Sarawak – Kesatuan Pembangkang dan Nilai-Nilai Demokrasi: Jeffrey Mengkritik Kenyataan GPS
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Special Randau
1. Malaysia is among the top 10 countries that generate the highest amount of plastic waste in the world. Therefore, the minister of natural resources and natural sustainability - Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad issued a circular banning single-use plastics for all official functions and meetings of the government, local authorities and government-related companies. It is in line with the government's efforts to move towards a low carbon economy and net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
2. The construction of the dam failed to improve the economic status of the Penan people. The Penan clan set up a blockade in front of the entrance of the oil palm plantation company Danum Sinar where 126 Penan workers were dismissed and replaced by foreign workers from Indonesia. When campaigning and persuading the Penan people to agree to the dam construction project - the gps government promised modernity and progress for the Penan people. Those are all empty promises - said Gereng Jadum, the leader of the blockade.
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Gereng Jadum, Residents of Penan Metalun, Murum Resettlement area
*Job Cuts and Blockades: The Penan's Struggle in Murum*On July 27, 2024, three Penan villages in Murum, namely Long Lua, Long Menapa, and Long Tangau, initiated a blockade in front of the Danum Sinar Estate Arau farm. This action was a protest against the abrupt dismissal of 126 Penan workers by Danum Sinar without the mandated three months' notice. For the past six years, these Penan individuals had been employed as oil palm fruit pickers in the Kelayan Estate and Lakin Estate areas. Danum Sinar, a plantation company owned by billionaires from peninsular Malaysia, manages six estates in the Murum area, including Estate Arau, Estate Marung 1, Estate Marung 2, Estate Jabon, Estate Lakin, and Estate Kelayan.
On May 28, 2024, Danum Sinar terminated the services of the 126 Penan workers, citing financial difficulties as the reason for their inability to pay salaries and manage administrative expenses. However, Gereng Jadum, a Penan leader, believes this to be a mere pretext, pointing out that the company subsequently hired foreign workers from Indonesia to replace the dismissed Penan laborers.
In response to their dismissal, the Penan people sought the assistance of YB Senator Abun Sui, requesting him to write a letter to Danum Sinar. Additionally, they enlisted the help of a Chinese lawyer to represent them legally. On July 31, 2024, the blockade was temporarily halted to facilitate negotiations between the Danum Sinar management, the police, the Sarawak Labor Department, Penan lawyers, and Penan residents. The Penan community, led by Gereng, demanded compensation and job opportunities, along with the management of the Kelayan Estate being handed over to them. Gereng warned that failure to meet their demands would result in the reinstatement of the blockade.
The Penan people, resettled in the Murum area to make way for the Murum dam construction, have faced ongoing challenges since their relocation. The Sarawak government has yet to provide basic facilities, job opportunities, or agricultural plots for Penan farmers. Communication issues in the remote regions of Sarawak have further complicated the situation, making it difficult for external parties, including RFS, to establish contact with Gereng and his community until recently.
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Dennis Along, President of the Tering Community Association Miri
Tering Community Leader Challenges Deputy Premier on Dayak Development
Dennis Along countered the statement made by Sarawak Deputy Premier Amar Douglas Uggah, who urged NGOs in Sarawak to work together with the Sarawak Government for the advancement of the Dayak community.
Dennis Along described the Deputy Premier's statement as foolish, arguing that despite the PBB (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu) having been in power for over 60 years, the Dayak community remains underdeveloped. He questioned the whereabouts and actions of the Dayak representatives (YBs) over the past six decades, who have failed to advance the Dayak community, even though the government has the capability to do so without the collaboration of NGOs.
Dennis stated that if he were the Deputy Premier of Sarawak, he would not make such a foolish statement because the government should be able to help the Dayak community without the need for NGO collaboration. He questioned why the Dayak community is lagging behind while other ethnic groups, such as the Malays, are more advanced. He attributed this to the fact that Malay representatives actively support the Malay community, serving as an example for Dayak representatives, who should be able to advance the Dayak community without involving NGOs.
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Jeffrery Ngui, chairman of MUDA Sarawak
Opposition Unity and Democratic Values: Jeffrey Criticizes GPS's Remarks
A widely discussed hot topic recently has been the successive public statements by GPS leaders that PKR should not contest in the upcoming state election. In response, Jeffrey asked: Do we still have democracy?
This is not the ideal pursued by opposition parties. Even MUDA would choose to voice out for the people and contest in state elections. These parties have been working at the grassroots level for decades, gaining grassroots support and hoping for change and development. If they do not contest, it would betray their decades-long persistence and ideals.
Whether to contest or not should be decided by the respective parties themselves, not by GPS. Opposition parties, including MUDA, should often ask themselves what they want to bring to Sarawak society and whether they have fulfilled their promises to their supporters.