22 May 2023

Topik Pada Hari Ini
> Dennis Along, Pengarah Komunikasi PKR Baram - Lesen dan PL tidak memberikan syarikat perhutanan hak untuk melakukan apa-apa di tanah dan hutan orang asal
> Nikodemus, penduduk dari Gedong - Mahkamah Persekutuan Menegaskan Hak Adat Tempatan dalam Kes Pertikaian Tanah: Komuniti Pertimbangkan Pampasan dan Membina Sekatan.

> Izdham Zainal, Ketua Biro Dasar MUDA Sarawak - Bilik media DUN adalah milik rakyat Sarawak dan penggunaannya tidak sepatutnya terhad kepada satu parti atau kumpulan sahaja.


On Today Show
> Dennis Along, PKR Baram Communications Director – Licenses and PLs do not grant Logging Companies the right to do anything on the indigenous people's land and forests
> Nikodemus, villager from Gedong – Federal Court Upholds Native Customary Rights in Land Dispute Case: Communities Consider Compensation and Set Up Blockade
> Izdham Zainal, the Head of Policy Bureaus of MUDA Sarawak – DUN media room belongs to the people of Sarawak and its usage should not be restricted to only one party or group

  • Dennis Along, PKR Baram Communications Director

    *Licenses and PLs do not grant Logging Companies the right to do anything on the indigenous people's land and forests*
    The defamation lawsuit filed by the logging giant company, Samling, against Save Rivers Chairman Peter Kalang has sparked anger among local activists and NGOs. Dennis Along had the opportunity to be present at the Miri High Court last week, but the case was postponed to a new date.

    The granting of logging licenses/PL to Samling does not confer absolute power. Licenses and PLs have their limitations. They do not grant Samling the right to do anything on the indigenous people's land and forests that would harm the environment and disrupt the indigenous people's lives.

    The fundamental principle is that the consent of the indigenous people must be obtained before any logging activities take place.

    Dennis congratulates YB See Chee How for raising the issue of Gunung Mulu National Park as a World Heritage Site. Re-nominating Mulu National Park as a World Heritage Site with the addition of Criterion V is appropriate because it includes the Penan and Berawan settlements. Criterion V means being an outstanding example of traditional human settlement, land use, or sea use that represents the interaction between humans and the natural environment. Criterion V is included to recognize the role of the indigenous people/Penan living in Mulu, says Dennis.
    However, Dennis explains that the tourism benefits in Mulu are monopolized by the Taib Mahmud family, GPS, and their cronies. Local residents should also be given opportunities. Dennis is grateful that a few years ago, they successfully drove out the palm oil plantation company, Radian Laggon (owned by Abu Bekir, now sold to Yee Ming Seng), which tried to turn Mulu into a palm oil plantation center. We are preserving Mulu not for commercial value but as a precious heritage for future generations, says Dennis.

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    Nikodemus, villager from Gedong

    *Federal Court Upholds Native Customary Rights in Land Dispute Case: Communities Consider Compensation and Set Up Blockade*

    The Federal Court in Kuching upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, confirming the Native Customary Rights (NCR) of Nikodemus Singai and a group of villagers over land parcels in Gedong, Simunjan.

    The group, represented by Nikodemus and villagers from several kampungs in Gedong, was sued by the company Indranika Jaya Sdn Bhd in 2016 for trespassing on land parcels that had provisional leases issued to the company. The provisional leases were later converted to full leases of State land. Prior to the trespass suit, the villagers had already established their NCR rights over the same land parcels through another lawsuit in the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak.

    They believed they had the right to be on the land to prevent the company from using it. However, the court clarified that while the communities have NCR rights, they have lost ownership of the land and are entitled to compensation from the company. The outcome of the case favored Nikodemus and the villagers in terms of their NCR rights, but they are currently in the process of determining the specifics of the compensation. Despite the legal victory, the communities have decided to set up a blockade again.

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    Izdham Zainal, the Head of Policy Bureaus of MUDA Sarawak
    *DUN media room belongs to the people of Sarawak and its usage should not be restricted to only one party or group*
    Muda Sarawak has been criticized by the Youth Wing of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) for using the media room in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) to promote the party. The leader of the GPS Youth, Miro Simuh, stated that the facility should be used by DUN members and not be a place for promoting one's own party.

    Izdham Zainal mentioned that MUDA Sarawak aims to connect with the general public, especially the people of Sarawak, and intends to build a platform for meaningful discussions on issues concerning Sarawak. MUDA Sarawak reminded Miro Simuh that the DUN media room belongs to the people of Sarawak and its usage should not be restricted to only one party or group. All political parties should have equal access and opportunities to use the space to convey information to the people, as long as they adhere to ethical guidelines and respect the sanctity of the DUN proceedings.

    MUDA Sarawak utilized the DUN media room as a means to communicate the objectives and principles of MUDA Sarawak. It was emphasized that the usage of the media room at that time had obtained the necessary permissions from the responsible authorities. Contrary to the claims made by Miro Simuh, MUDA Sarawak believes that the DUN media room should not be solely used to report on DUN proceedings. It should also serve as a space where various political parties can express their views and interact with the people of Sarawak and media practitioners.

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